FIRE BAN IN EFFECT

A restricted fire zone is now in effect across much of northern Ontario due to the extreme hazard of forest fires.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry declared the restriction in place of as 12:01 a.m. on June 1.

All burning permits are suspended, and no open air burning, including campfires, is permitted within the boundaries of a restricted fire zone. (Portable gas or propane stoves may be used for cooking and warmth but must be handled with extreme caution, the ministry said.) 

The restricted fire zone is in place until further notice, the ministry said.

The restricted zone includes the districts of Sault Ste. Marie/Blind River, Chapleau/Wawa, Sudbury, North Bay, Hearst/Cochrane/Kapuskasing, Timmins/Kirkland Lake, Minden/Parry Sound/Bracebridge, Pembroke, and parts of the Peterborough/Bancroft District.