WHITE RIVER — Two wildfires near White River remain not under control, though one has been burning at a lower intensity in the last few days.
The Wawa 03 fire, which started near the Depew River, remains about nine kilometres southeast of White River and has been burning since May 27, at a size of nearly 6,700 hectares.
As of Tuesday, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry reported that the wildfire had low fire behaviour. Currently, there are seven helicopters, one wildland fire engine, and 18 fire crews working on the fire.
The ministry is using aerial resources in the more active areas of the fire to limit its spread, while ground crews are using power pumps and hoses on the perimeter. The incident management team will be scanning to identify the fire intensity in certain areas of the fire to help focus suppression efforts.
White River Mayor Tara Anderson Hart said there is no threat to the community and “the weather conditions [Tuesday] allowed for a bit of breathing room for all. Despite the breeze, we did not have substantial amounts of smoke.”
However, smoke density can increase due to changes in the weather pattern. The ministry is reporting that from Thursday to Saturday shifts in wind may cause an increased amount of smoke in the direction of White River.
To find more information or track smoke drift from active wildland fires, visit www.firesmoke.ca.
