Henvey Inlet evacuees head home as containment of Parry Sound 33 'almost complete'
Across northeastern Ontario, 43 active forest fires are burning, 14 of them not yet under control
Over 190 people from Henvey Inlet First Nation will return to their homes today, some two weeks after they were evacuated from their homes due to wildfires near the Georgian Bay community in northeastern Ontario.
Chief and council made the decision after the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry declared that the Parry Sound 33 fire is "almost" contained, as dozens of fires continue to burn across northeastern Ontario.
Chief Wayne McQuabbie says his community will remain on a three-hour evacuation alert in case the fire, which has been held at 11,362 hectares for the past few days, starts to grow again.
"I felt comfortable knowing hose line has been run on sections of the eastern flank west of our community off Highway 69, and felt safe to allow community members to return home," McQuabbie said in a release.
During the two weeks, people from Henvey Inlet, including Angele Dubois, stayed in hotels in Sudbury and Parry Sound.
"I'm just excited to get back to everyday life and grateful for the firefighters who ensured we had a community to go back to, but I'm still going to keep a go-bag by the door in case we have to leave, but I'm still really happy to be going home," Dubois said in a release.
The ministry said crews continue to work the 120-kilometre perimeter of the Parry Sound 33 fire and "containment around it is almost complete."
However, the ministry said "there is still potential for high fire behaviour given the very dry fuels in the area."
Some parts of the municipality of Killarney, not including the Village of Killarney, remain evacuated. An evacuation alert for about 1,000 people in the nearby town of Alban also remains in effect.
'Being held'
Meanwhile, the ministry said the Lady Evelyn fire in the Temiskaming district is now listed as being held, "which means that given current resource levels, this fire is not expected to spread under current and forecasted weather conditions."
The ministry said crews have started removing sprinkler systems that were set up to protect buildings in the area.
Across northeastern Ontario, there are currently 43 active forest fires, 14 of them listed as not under control.
Almost 500 firefighters and support staff have been brought in from across Canada, the United States and Mexico to assist.
Smoke from the fires "will be visible until fire activity is reduced and weather patterns change," the ministry said, but no special air quality statements have been issued by Environment Canada.