"See a lot of extreme fire behavior"



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Much of northern Ontario, including Sudbury, was ranked in extreme fire danger – the highest rating – by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. summer

. "We've been seeing the biggest fires in Ontario in the last few years," said Bruce Macnab, Natural Resources Canada (NRC) Firefighting Information Systems Manager. "We are seeing a lot of extreme fire behavior, a lot of extreme fire, as well as early season fires and late-season fires."

Macnab said that unfortunately many fires are in remote areas He said it was the fourth year in a row that international badistance was needed to fight fires all over North America, adding the best-known example of this situation. Collaboration between cross-border fire departments took place during the Fort McMurray wildfires in 2016, when Ontario and Mexico helped manage the fires

"This year is worse than these last years. Joshua Johnston, NRC Wildfire Research Researcher. "We are slightly above the 10-year average, mainly because rains were limited in June, which is generally a very wet month here, which caused a good drought that continued in July.

When the rain fell, she came with lightning. And so we have a lot of small lightning fires in the north – some of those fires have become large. "

Johnson said that because it takes more firefighters to quell these larger fires, the current fire banning areas are, and will remain, in place because of the demands of the fire. Such a volume of lightning fires

"The last thing firemen need now"

The outlook is encouraging, however, as Johnson and Macnab have stated that more and more detection technologies are needed. were regularly developed

. Macnab explains that new models and detection technology are becoming more available, allowing Canadian forest departments and scientists to detect fires more frequently and update them more frequently. "

technologies emerge," said Johnson. "In addition to some airborne infrared imaging techniques that help fire managers maintain situational awareness across the landscape."

Johnson, he himself is conducting tactical research on remote sensing for the country, and he and his colleagues are working to ensure that these new technologies benefit the people on the front line as much as possible. "In principle, we take infrared aerial and satellite images and produce detailed maps of where the fires are occurring. to do and where they go. He said some of these tools are currently being tested on fires since the beginning of July.

With respect to fire prevention strategies for civilians, Johnson said that there was some steps to

"In the sunny and dry conditions we saw it is very possible (cigarette butts) to cause fires," he added. "Especially if you look around the city and notice that a lot of grbad has died and turned yellow – this dead "healed" grbad, as we call it, is extremely flammable, an abandoned cigarette butt landing in this kind of favorable fuel can easily start a

Moreover, he said that it is "absolutely essential" that everyone obey the restricted fire zone

"When a person accidentally causes a forest fire, that person and the people who the are the first people at risk. often in serious danger, "said Johnson." You can mitigate this risk by respecting the restrictions in place, by not smoking while you walk in the forest, by extinguishing your cigarette butts and by reporting wildfires as soon as you see smoke "

who sees the smoke calling instead of baduming that someone else has already seen it.

Johnson went on, saying that if you are asked to evacuate due to a forest fire, it is essential that you do so

will only ask you to evacuate if there is a serious risk ", he said. "It's not possible for a homeowner to defend his home against a wildfire and staying behind puts you at risk, and risking the lives of firefighters who will need to save you later."

Johnson recommends landowners to reduce the risk of forest fires to their homes and camps by "burning down" their properties and communities.You can find more information at https://www.firesmartcanada.ca/.[19659002Johnsonstatedthatallwildfiresarenotconsideredhazardsbutinfactforestfiresarenecessaryforthehealthandwell-beingofforests

"Fire is a necessary and natural disturbance. for our forests, "he said." In fact, the boreal forest depends on fire to stay healthy and regenerate: fires can clear the land and allow young trees to grow back, and many species of 39, trees depends Fire for regeneration is like a mosaic of burn scars that gradually cover the entire landscape.

Johnson said that Ontario is perpetually on fire. However, most fires occur in the Far North.

"Most people do not hear from them," he said. "Remote forest fires that have no potential for negative impacts on people, infrastructure or cultural values ​​are often left in the natural state, but fires, natural or human , tend to be fires in more populated areas. Some types of forests, says Johnson, such as forests damaged by storms, are sometimes "prescribed" fires that light up to remove the dead forest and make the task of the forest easier. new growth to come.

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