The August long weekend has seen 13 new wildfires reported in the northwest so far, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry said.

Four new fires had been reported by early-evening Sunday. They included:

• Dryden Fire 42, located on a peninsula on Suzanne Lake, approximately 47 kilometres east of Dryden. The fire was declared out at 0.1 hectares.
• Fort Frances Fire 39, located west of Warner Lake, approximately 41 kilometres west of Atikokan. The 0.1 hectare fire was not under control.
• Fort France Fire 40, burning south of Lowry Lake, approximately 57 kilometres northeast of Fort Frances. The 0.1 hectare fire was not under control.
• Fort Frances Fire 41, located near the eastern shore of Bearpaw Lake, approximately 67 kilometres northeast of Fort Frances. The 0.1 hectare fire was reportedly being held.

Three new fires were reported by early-evening on Saturday, and six by the same time on Friday.

Also, as of Sunday evening, there were 85 wildfires burning in the region, with 10 listed as not under control.

Seven were being held, five were under control and 63 were under observation.

Out-of-province help

Weather conditions have helped, the ministry said, reducing the fire hazard to low in the Kenora and Red Lake districts, and most of the Thunder Bay district. Most of the far north is also under a low hazard.

The hazard is moderate to high in the Dryden, Fort Frances, Sioux Lookout and Nipigon districts, ministry officials said.

The busy wildfire season in the region has required assistance from some out-of-province firefighters. Currently, there are about 120 firefighters from other provinces and Great Lakes-area states in the region, as well as seven people working as administrative staff.

The largest group is from Saskatchewan, which has sent 40 firefighters and two overhead staff members to the region, the ministry said.