Forest fire prompting Pikangikum evacuations grows
The Ontario government continued today to get people out of Pikangikum First Nation by aircraft as a forest fire burning a few kilometres from the northern community grows.
On Monday, several flights operated by private carriers flew Pikangikum residents out of the community, which is about 230 kilometres north of Kenora.
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) said two Hercules aircraft remained on standby, available to help in the evacuation efforts if needed.
(Pikangikum First Nation members arrive in Winnipeg on Sunday. Pikangikum is being evacuated due to a growing forest fire near the community. Darryl Hepner/Supplied)
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The RCAF has flown more than 1,700 Pikangikum residents out of the community, which has a population of about 3,800, since the fire started nearly a week ago.
Pikangikum residents are being hosted in Winnipeg, and Ontario communities including Thunder Bay, Cochrane, Kapuskasing, Smooth Rock Falls, Timmins, Hearst, Sioux Lookout and Dryden.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry's Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services said the fire, known as Red Lake Fire 14, is about 3,800 hectares in size and not yet under control.
A number of communities in northwestern Ontario are hosting residents of Pikangikum First Nation. (CBC)
Sixteen four-person fire crews and two local sustained attack crews have been assigned to the fire, and an incident management team will be assuming command of suppression efforts in the coming days.
The fire is burning to the south and west of Pikangikum. Crews working on parts of the fire nearest to the community have set up sprinklers on homes, buildings and infrastructure.
This article was originally published on CBC.ca
