A nearly-provincewide fire ban in Ontario has been lifted.
At the beginning of June, the Ontario government placed most of the province within a Restricted Fire Zone (RFZ), forbidding open fires and the burning of grass or debris as wildfires ravaged the province.
At the time, officials said the ban would help prevent human-caused fires during a time in which dry conditions and little precipitation could help the flames spread.
This ban was lifted as of 4 p.m. on July 11, despite the fact that 82 wildfires had been reported across Ontario.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry noted that of those fires, 59 are being observed and are no threat to public safety.
“The fire is being monitored to allow the ecological benefits of wildland fire to take place naturally,” they said on social media.
Officials say that decisions about RFZs consider a number of factors, including daily weather and fire conditions, as well as forecasted weather trends over time.
“We also consider the number of wildland fires that are burning, and the number of resources required to manage both current and potential wildland fires,” a statement on the ministry’s website says.
“Lifting the RFZ does not mean we can let our guard down when it comes to preventing human-caused fires. We all need to remain vigilant and keep safety top of mind when having outdoor fires.”
This means that fire bans at many provincial parks may lift as of this week. Municipalities and provincial parks have the power to enact their own fire bans if they deem it necessary.
Canada is seeing a record-breaking wildfire season this year, and officials have projected the risk to remain high throughout the summer.
In Ontario alone, there have been 424 forest fires so far this year. This is more than three times the number of forest fires seen in the same time period in 2022.
The province’s 10-year average of forest fires in a season sits at about 338.
The ministry has said it will continue to monitor the weather, as some areas “remain dry.”
“It is important to remember that the overall fire danger can change rapidly based on the daily weather resulting in low to moderate fire danger one day, followed by high to extreme hazard the next,” officials said.
“The province will continue to assess forest fire hazard conditions and an RFZ designation may be reinstated in higher risk areas if the fire hazard and fire activity warrants.”
