Forest Fire Fighting Efforts in B.C. Continue

More than 600 Ministry of Natural Resources personnel are now helping crews wrestle with forest fires in British Columbia.

Fire information officer Debbie MacLean says 28 FireRangers and 15 staff trained in values protection equipment headed for the B.C. fire lines earlier this week.

Raging forest fires have forced droves of people out of their homes in British Columbia over the past few weeks.

Smoke from fires in western Canada is also making its way into some parts of northwestern Ontario.

The MNR says upper level atmospheric conditions has caused smoke to drift in from as far away as the Yukon.

The presence of that smoke has led to some calls to the forest fire reporting hotline.

Currently there are no active fires in the region.

Meantime, the fire hazard in northwestern Ontario is beginning to rise once again.

Recent warm weather has moved the hazard to high along the Rainy Rainy River district.