The smell of smoke is strong and lingering over Timmins today, but there is no reason for Timmins city residents to worry about forest fires spreading into town.

Shayne McCool, the Fire Information Officer for the Northeast Region at the MNRF, tells us that the smoke is coming from the Lady Evelyn Provincial Park cluster of fires, south of Timmins.

The smoke has spread from the Sudbury area and now to Timmins, because of a drop in humidity bringing the smoke levels down to our air system. The smoke coming from the Lady Evelyn Provincial Park area is very widespread across the Northeast region right now.

Winds from the Southwest are moving up towards the Northeast, bringing the smoke from various fires in the River Valley with it.

The fire at Lady Evelyn Provincial Park is currently 12,000 hectares and is not under control.

Timmins and surrounding area residents can expect some relief from the smoke in the next day or so, when cloud cover moves in and we potentially see some rainfall this evening. Rain might help with the spreading of the smoke, but with rain comes thunderstorms, and with thunderstorms comes lightning and the potential for more fires to start.

The smoke in Timmins is blowing through town because of a change in winds, and residents can expect more smoke in town throughout the summer, as winds and temperatures change. With a drop in humidity, comes a drop in smoke levels, bringing the smell and haze to into our air systems.

The MNRF would like to advise people living close to forest fire locations, to be aware of water bombers trying to use large bodies of water to scoop water to battle the flames. Anyone on a water vessel in an area where water bombers frequent, should go ashore as soon as they see water bomber planes overhead. This is so the water bombers can safely scoop water to fight the fires.

The MNRF is also advising that UAVs and drones are not permitted within 9 kilometers of a forest fire. It is illegal to fly drones any closer to the flames, and it impedes the safety of the planes working to fight the fires.

For an updated map on the current forest fires in Ontario, go here. 

For an update from the MNRF, go here.