**OPP NEWS RELEASE**

On July 8, 2018 at approximately 5:45 p.m. members of the Temiskaming Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) assisted the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) by advising residents living between Finlayson Point Provincial Park Road and Jessie Lake to evacuate their homes due to a dangerously close active forest fire near Temagami, Ontario. The MNRF has implemented this mandatory evacuation and there are approximately 20 homes in this area.

The OPP is focusing on keeping everyone safe. At this time, members of the public are being asked to not stop along the highway to take photos of the fire and/or smoke, and to keep the flow of traffic going. 

Boaters are also being asked to stay off Lake Temagami in order allow the water bombers to land and to collect water on this lake for their fire suppression efforts.

*If planning travel, consider delaying your trip or avoiding Highway 11 between North Bay and Temiskaming Shores. The emergency management team will be meeting this evening and further updates will be released when they become available.

Any media personnel having inquiries about the fire, is being asked to contact the MNRF.