Ford urges Ontarians not to light campfires as crews battle wildfires in 'full force'
Ontario Premier Doug Ford urged everyone in the province Wednesday to refrain from lighting campfires, as 54 wildfires burned across the province and smoke from fires in Quebec degraded air quality.
Half of the fires are started by lightning strikes and the other half are caused by human activity such as not properly extinguishing campfires, Ford said in the legislature.
"I'm asking every Ontarian: please do not light any campfires," Ford said. "We're out there, all the firefighters are out there I should say, fighting against these wildfires ... we will throw every resource we can to make sure we put these fires out."
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
Ford was responding in question period to NDP Leader Marit Stiles, who said climate change is making the fire season worse.
"I asked the premier today to just simply go on record and acknowledge that ... climate change is real, that the fires that we're seeing across this province -- especially on a day like today, which is Clean Air Day, ironically -- that this is linked to climate change," she said after question period.
"I want the government to do that because I want the premier to acknowledge that they have a responsibility in how we're going to mitigate climate change."
Ford said he was "in shock" that Stiles would politicize the wildfires, and noted they occur every year.
Much of the province is under a fire ban, though not all of it, and Ford said his message extended across Ontario.
Opposition leaders said there should be a full fire ban across Ontario, but Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry Graydon Smith said the province implements fire bans on Crown land, and municipalities can assess their own situations.
"Throughout most of eastern, central, northeast and northwest Ontario, there is a fire restriction and ban in place," he said.
"But I think the message to everybody is clear that this is a very delicate situation, people need to take a level of personal responsibility, the rules apply to them, they need to make sure that we're following them to ensure that we do not have any unintentionally set, man-made fires."
Ontario has 142 fire ranger crews and a fleet of 28 aircraft to fight fires, including nine heavy water bombers, and crews are responding in full force to manage the fires, Ford said. Four water bombers from Minnesota are assisting right now, Smith said.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry said there are 54 active fires, including 29 not under control. As of Wednesday morning, 13 new fires had been discovered and fire rangers extinguished six fires on Tuesday.
Environment Canada shows a moderate, high or very high air quality risk across most of the province, with values especially high in eastern Ontario. Officials have said that a lot of the smoke seen in Ontario comes from wildfires in Quebec.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 7, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
Some Canadian families will receive up to $620 per child today
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
BREAKING Iran fires at apparent Israeli attack drones near Isfahan air base and nuclear site
An apparent Israeli drone attack on Iran saw troops fire air defences at a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan, an assault coming in retaliation for Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Ottawa to force banks to call carbon rebate a carbon rebate in direct deposits
Canadian banks that refuse to identify the carbon rebate by name when doing direct deposits are forcing the government to change the law to make them do it, says Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.
Ontario woman loses $15,000 to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.