No smoke, but fire burns 30 kilometres from Pikangikum

Pikangikum First Nation currently sits about 30 kilometers away from a 16,500 hectare fire that is burning out of control southwest of the community.
“We do have plans on how we will address certain procedures should this fire continue burning the way it is right now,” said Chief Dean Owen of Pikangikum First Nation.
Owen said on July 15 there is no smoke or haze in the community so far.
He said they will be putting higher risk residents, especially those with breathing difficulties, the Elders and the young that are affected with asthma, on a priority list should an emergency occur.
“There is no smoke right now, just some light haze over on the horizon, but none in the community. It seems pretty clear right now,” said Owen.
As of June 10 the fire was about 11,500 hectares, but had grown to 12,500 by the next day.
There were also two new smaller fires in the community of Pikangikum.
“One was in the dump and it didn’t go too far. They are basically monitoring it, so that’s not a problem,” said Debbie Maclean, communications and marketing specialist for the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR). “There was a second 0.1 hectare fire in some trees and it’s already out, so the new fires are not a problem.”
Maclean said there was a possibility of smoke being blown into the community from the fire 30 kilometers from the community.
She said that there was some weather in the forecast that should be able to help with the fire, but a June 14 MNR fire report said, “effects of rain in the north were short-lived and
the forest fire hazard is now high there.”
“Rain is in the forecast and is expected to help ease the fire hazard by mid-week,” the report reads.