One of only three forest fires currently burning in Northeastern Ontario has disrupted the Polar Bear Express train between Moosonee and Cochrane.
MNRF fire information officer Amy Peltonen says it’s about 110 km southwest of Moosonee, along the Abitibi River. It’s not yet under control.
“The fire was actually very recently remapped form 200 hectares up to 3,000 hectares,” she reports. “However, crews are seeing a lower fire activity on this fire.”
Peltonen explains that that means while the flames cover more ground, they aren’t very intense.
The ONR confirms that the Polar Bear Express from Moosonee Monday night and Tuesday morning from Cochrane were both cancelled. You can get the latest status of the train from Ontario Northland.
Peltonen says the other two blazes are northwest of Moosonee; and near the Québec border, on the east side of Parson Lake. They’re both classified as “being observed”.
“What that means is that the fires are being monitored, just to allow the natural ecological benefits of wildland fires to take place, kind of as they would in the natural environment without human intervention.”
In other words, because there are no properties or people in the area, the fires are being allowed to burn.