Ontario battles more than 180 active wildfires, requests federal assistance

Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources said more than 180 wildfires were active across the province on Friday, with the interactive map showing over 25 new blazes. The fires, concentrated near Thunder Bay on Lake Superior, have forced evacuations in at least 15 communities, affecting more than 1,500 residents, including several First Nations reserves such as Cat Lake, Eabametoong and McDowell Lake, which required air evacuations.

Across Canada, authorities recorded over 850 active fires, 113 of which are classified as out of control. While firefighting responsibilities lie with provincial and regional governments, Ontario announced on Thursday that it had formally asked the federal government for assistance, including possible deployment of army resources, to support evacuation efforts.

"In response to the significant threat of wildland fire activity in northern Ontario, the province has issued a formal request for assistance to the government of Canada to be prepared to expedite the deployment of federal resources to support evacuations," said Jill Dunlop, Ontario's minister for emergency preparedness, on social media.