Fire crews hold Parry Sound 33 perimeter despite hot, windy conditions

Although the fire known as Parry Sound 33, south of Sudbury, Ont., seems to have grown, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry says crews are managingto hold the perimeter of the blaze, despite a combination of high winds and temperatures and low humidity.

The MNRF says the fire has been remapped to 11,362 hectares, which it attributes to minimal growth on the southeast edge.

Crews are continuing to layhose lines in anticipation of increased burning conditions due to the hot, dry weather and wind gusts that could reach 50 kilometres anhour.

The ministry says crews have been placed in key areas.

"We are continuing to suppress that fire and things are progressing well," Isabelle Chenard, a fire information officer for the northeast, said Saturday.

Chenard says more help has arrived from outside the province as Parry Sound 33 enters its third week, with new crews from Quebec assigned to fight the fire over the weekend.

She adds there could be good news in the forecast for the upcoming week, with showers expected.

"We've seen over the past few weeks communities around the fire see some precipitation, but really on that specific fire there hasn't been much that has fallen," Chenard says. "So we're looking at maybe five to 10 millimetres."

According to the ministry's latest numbers, there are 44 active forest fires in northeastern Ontario, 19 of which are not yet under control. The remaining 25 are either being held, under control or being observed.

The Lady Evelyn cluster, which was first recorded on July 8, is still not under control but the ministry has not reported any further growth of the 27,285-hectare fires.

Chenard says anew fire, called Sudbury 101, was identified on Sunday near Rock Lake. That fire is16 kilometressouthwest of St. Charles and covers one hectare.

There are currently no special air quality statements from Environment Canada, but the MNRF notes that smoke from large fires across the regioncontinues to be visible.