Ontario wildfires force train halts and Indigenous community evacuation
Three freight trains carrying flammable materials were halted near the Allanwater Subdivision in Ontario after wildfires forced crews to retreat more than 150 miles, according to The Mirror US. A similar shutdown occurred near Armstrong when Canadian National Railway trains were surrounded by flames, FOX Weather reported. The smoke from more than 800 wildfires across Canada also forced the rescue of a train crew and spread hazardous air toward Toronto and U. S. cities, BBC noted.
Ontario faced over 100 active wildfires, with 69 out of control, prompting mandatory evacuations in several northwestern communities and deteriorating air quality, Yahoo News Canada said. The province later reported more than 130 fires and requested federal aid, including possible military support, the New York Times reported. Subsequent updates from the Ministry of Natural Resources indicated the number of active fires had risen to over 180, affecting at least 15 communities and leading to a formal federal assistance request, the New York Times added. In the final development, a fast-moving wildfire destroyed around 30 homes and community facilities in the Collins First Nation, forcing residents to evacuate by boat, CNN reported. The evacuation sparked calls for a review of Ontario’s wildfire response policies.
