Thunder Bay 36 Fire

Origin and Meteorological Context

The Thunder Bay 36 Fire emerged during an extreme 2026 wildfire season in Ontario, which followed a warm, dry spring and weeks of below-normal precipitation across the northwest. This weather pattern left the boreal forest highly susceptible to ignition. A significant wave of lightning strikes beginning on July 6 ignited numerous new fires across the region. Thunder Bay 36 itself formed when the pre-existing Dryden 13 fire merged with several other nearby fires within Wabakimi Provincial Park. Fuelled by sustained heat, low humidity, and wind, the merged fire expanded rapidly through mid-July. By July 21, the cumulative area burned across Ontario for the season had already surpassed the previous provincial record set in 2021. Fire weather specialists attributed the rapid escalation not to a single event but to compounding drought, heat, and wind conditions that created a prolonged period of extreme fire hazard.

This hazardous period was officially recognized with a yellow heat warning across much of northwestern Ontario from July 28, with daytime highs reaching 29 to 31 degrees Celsius and humidex values as high as 38. The Ministry of Natural Resources reported that the number of active wildfires across the region fluctuated daily, reaching 132 on July 18, falling to 117 by July 28, and rising slightly to 122 the following day. This volatile situation set the stage for the creation and explosive growth of the mega-fire that would become Thunder Bay 36. The fire danger ratings across the region were predominantly high during this period, with conditions primed for any ignition to spread quickly and merge with existing fires.

Fire Progression and Record Size

The fire saw significant growth on July 13 and 14 in the areas near Namaygoosisagagun First Nation, Armstrong, and Whitesand First Nation. Aerial and ground remapping in late July provided more accurate measurements of its vast scale. By July 28-29, the fire was measured at approximately 314,000 hectares. Subsequent remapping later confirmed its size at over 315,000 hectares, with one measurement on August 23 listing it at 301,240 hectares as fire activity diminished. The fire's growth was temporarily slowed by rainfall in late July, which reduced fire behaviour, but officials warned that renewed growth was possible if hot, dry, or windy conditions returned. By August, Thunder Bay 36, together with the nearby Dryden 34 and Dryden 35 fires, was collectively referred to as the Rinker Lake Complex, covering a combined area of more than 377,000 hectares.

The fire's progression was marked by several key remapping events that refined its understood perimeter and size. On one day it was measured at 318,813 hectares, only to be re-mapped for accuracy the next day at 315,431 hectares. Throughout August, wildland fire activity across the Rinker Lake Complex remained low, with no significant growth reported for several weeks. Despite this, the fires remained officially classified as not under control, meaning they were still expected to spread under current conditions. The complex became the largest area of concern in the region, even as other clusters like the Atikokan cluster and the Brightsand cluster saw improved conditions. The Atikokan cluster, consisting of Fort Frances 14, 15, and 38, had burned a combined area of about 94,000 hectares before conditions improved.

Emergency Response and Firefighting Efforts

The provincial response involved hundreds of wildland firefighters, supported by a large fleet of aircraft including waterbombers and helicopters. On July 18, Premier Doug Ford reported more than 155 fire crews were on the ground, with over 80 aircraft active and 40 more on standby. A dedicated 20-person Incident Management Team assumed command of Thunder Bay 36, overseeing nine fire crews, five heavy equipment operators, and five helicopters. Firefighting tactics included constructing fire guards, suppressing hotspots, and conducting water-bucketing operations from helicopters. An implementation order restricting travel and land use around Thunder Bay 36 and nearby fires took effect on July 20 to protect public safety and aid firefighting operations. The Ministry of Natural Resources later announced an additional $650 million in funding to purchase six new waterbombers and five new helicopters, and added 170 new permanent fire personnel positions.

The Incident Management Team's strategy evolved as conditions changed. Helicopters were used not only for water bucketing but also for providing an aerial view of conditions, transporting crews and equipment, and serving as a safety resource. By late July, crews were focused on containment work including fire guard construction and hotspot suppression. The provincial government also increased compensation for staff, including firefighters and pilots, as part of its enhanced response. Minister of Natural Resources Mike Harris stated that his ministry was conducting assessment flights to document property damage and loss, and impacted property owners were directed to contact 211 for information and support on next steps. The ministry worked closely with Namaygoosisagagun First Nation to restore road access and expedite bridge construction to facilitate community recovery.

Key resources assigned to Thunder Bay 36 included a 20-person Incident Management Team, nine fire crews, five heavy equipment operators, and five helicopters. Ontario FireRangers and crews from Alberta were involved in the fire operations. The response was supported by nearly 50 aircraft including waterbombers and helicopters, with more than 80 aircraft and 40 additional aircraft on standby by mid-July. Helicopters provided aerial views, transported crews and equipment, and conducted water-bucketing operations directly on the fire.

• 20-person Incident Management Team
• Nine fire crews (4-5 members each)
• Five heavy equipment operators
• Five helicopters for bucketing and transport
• Over 155 provincial fire crews at peak
• More than 80 active aircraft, with 40 on standby
• Air purifiers, filters, and scrubbers deployed to communities

The response was coordinated across multiple agencies, with the Ministry of Emergency Preparedness and Response holding over 110 coordination calls with First Nation chiefs, community leaders, emergency management partners, municipalities, and the federal government. The ministry worked with camps and tourist operators to help them return and assess damages. The ministry also conducted assessment flights to document property damage and loss, and impacted property owners could contact 211 for information and support. The ministry worked closely with Namaygoosisagagun First Nation to restore road access to the community.

Impact on Communities and Evacuations

The fire had a devastating human impact, particularly on First Nations communities. Namaygoosisagagun First Nation, also known as Collins First Nation, was completely destroyed in mid-July, with video from the community indicating virtually no structures remained standing. Significant damage was also reported at Whitewater Lake First Nation on July 18. Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for multiple communities, displacing hundreds of residents. Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek (Gull Bay First Nation) was evacuated, and orders were also implemented for areas near Armstrong. At its peak around July 20, approximately 2,415 people had evacuated to host communities across Ontario, including Thunder Bay, Kenora, Toronto, and Barrie. The Canadian Red Cross established a reception centre at the Fort William Gardens arena in Thunder Bay. By late July, the number of evacuees had declined to roughly 2,088 as some communities began returning home. The evacuation for Whitesand First Nation and Armstrong lasted over a month, with residents returning in mid-August. The provincial response to the fires faced criticism from both firefighters and First Nations organizations.

Key communities affected by evacuation orders included Namaygoosisagagun First Nation, which was completely destroyed, and Whitewater Lake First Nation, which reported significant damage. Mandatory evacuations were implemented for Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek (Gull Bay First Nation) and Whitesand First Nation, with Armstrong also evacuated. Multiple other First Nations communities faced evacuation orders, displacing hundreds of residents. Evacuation orders were also expanded for areas near Armstrong, north and east of Lake Nipigon.

• Namaygoosisagagun First Nation (destroyed)
• Whitewater Lake First Nation (significant damage)
• Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek (Gull Bay First Nation)
• Whitesand First Nation
• Armstrong area residents
• Aroland First Nation (evacuated, later returned)
• Ojibway of Saugeen First Nation (evacuated, later returned)
• Eabametoong First Nation (evacuated with CAF assistance)

The Canadian Armed Forces assisted with the evacuation of Eabametoong First Nation using a CC-130J Hercules aircraft on July 27. Mail delivery was suspended in several communities due to the wildfire activity and related road closures. About 10 residents of Armstrong and Whitesand chose to stay behind during the evacuations, spending more than a month helping construct fire breaks and battle wildfires threatening their communities. When residents began returning to the Whitesand and Armstrong areas on August 19, the Ontario Provincial Police urged caution due to ongoing hazards. Chief Lawrence Wanakamik of Whitesand First Nation stated in late July that there was no clear end in sight to his community's evacuation, highlighting the prolonged uncertainty faced by displaced residents.

Environmental, Economic and Infrastructure Consequences

The fire burned through large portions of Wabakimi Provincial Park and surrounding boreal forest, resulting in significant loss of wildlife habitat and potential long-term ecological changes. Smoke from the fire led to poor air quality across northwestern Ontario, including in the city of Thunder Bay, prompting public health advisories. The smoke plume also affected air quality in parts of the north-central United States. Highway closures disrupted travel and supply chains, impacting local businesses and access to services. The Ministry of Natural Resources conducted assessment flights to document property damage and loss, and worked with affected First Nations, such as Namaygoosisagagun, on infrastructure restoration like road and bridge repair. The ministry also engaged with tourist operators and camps to facilitate damage assessments. The widespread burning contributed to a total burned area across northwestern Ontario that exceeded 450,000 hectares by late July.

Specific infrastructure work included the ministry working closely with Namaygoosisagagun First Nation to restore the road back to the landing on the lake that goes into the community. Ministry engineers were also working on the first bridge to try and expedite its construction. The economic impact extended to the tourism sector, with the ministry working to get camps and tourist operators back to assess damages. Notice to Air Missions (NOTAMs) were issued for Thunder Bay 36 and other major fires like Fort Frances 14, affecting aviation in the region. A Restricted Fire Zone remained in place across most of Northwestern Ontario and part of Northeastern Ontario for the duration of the crisis, prohibiting all open-air burning including campfires. This ban was only lifted on August 20, coinciding with the revocation of evacuation orders.

Later Stages, Official Status and Regional Recovery

By late August 2026, the number of active wildfires in the northwest region had fallen sharply to 63. Favourable weather conditions, including cooler temperatures and forecast precipitation, helped reduce fire behaviour across the region. The three fires of the Rinker Lake Complex, including Thunder Bay 36, exhibited low activity with no significant growth for several weeks. As of August 23, of the 63 active fires, only six were classified as not under control, four were being held, 10 were under control, and 43 were being observed. The implementation and evacuation orders for the Thunder Bay 36 area were officially revoked at 9:00 a.m. EDT on August 20. The province also lifted the restricted fire zone for most of northwestern Ontario on that date, and the City of Thunder Bay rescinded its fire ban at 5 p.m. the same day.

While Thunder Bay 36 remained officially classified as "not under control," the fire behaviour concerns had decreased substantially. Command of other fire clusters, like the Atikokan Cluster, transitioned back to local fire management headquarters after nearly six weeks of oversight by rotating Incident Management Teams. In that cluster, Fort Frances 14 was reclassified as "being held," while Fort Frances 13 and 15 in Quetico Provincial Park were placed under observation to allow natural ecological benefits of fire. The forest fire hazard rating across the northwest was mostly low by late August, with only pockets of moderate and high hazard remaining in areas like the Kenora area, near Marten Falls First Nation, and north of Lake Nipigon. The ministry reported that fire ranger crews had success with suppression efforts at other significant fires like Sioux Lookout 72, which had exhibited significant growth earlier to cover almost 24,000 hectares near Cat Lake First Nation.

Recovery efforts continued as evacuees returned home. Residents of Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek began settling back into their community after its evacuation order was lifted on August 7, following a flyover and discussions that eased leadership's initial concerns. However, nearly 260 members of Neskantaga First Nation remained in Toronto due to an unrelated sewage backup, having been previously evacuated due to wildfire smoke in July. Provincial officials reported that about 2,000 evacuees from across northwestern Ontario had returned home by late August, with roughly 829 people still displaced due to wildfires across the province. The ministry committed to conducting an after-action review of its wildfire response to inform future operations. New evacuation alerts were still being issued in late August for areas like those near Fort Frances 39 and Minnesota's "Thumb Fire," indicating that the wildfire season was not completely over.

Comparative Fire Statistics and Season Overview

The 2026 wildfire season in northwestern Ontario was marked by several large, complex fires that burned a cumulative area surpassing 450,000 hectares by late July. Thunder Bay 36, the largest, was measured at over 315,000 hectares, far exceeding the previous provincial record. By late July, the Dryden 34 fire was 45,800 hectares and the Dryden 35 fire was 30,201 hectares. These three fires, referred to as the Rinker Lake Complex, all remained not under control during the peak of the season.

The season also saw other significant fire activity, including the Brightsand cluster of four fires and the Fort Frances 39 fire, which prompted a new evacuation alert in conjunction with Minnesota's "Thumb Fire" in late August. The ministry confirmed one new small fire, Nipigon 101 at 0.1 hectares, as late as August 23, showing that the risk of new ignitions persisted even as the largest fires were subdued. The total number of active fires in the northwest region fluctuated from a high of 146 in mid-August down to 63 by August 23, illustrating the scale of the firefighting effort required across the entire region. Across the region at that time, 47 fires had been not under control, six were being held, seven were under control, and 80 were being kept under observation during the peak of the season.

Questions about Thunder Bay 36 Fire

Which communities were most affected by the Thunder Bay 36 Fire?

The fire completely destroyed the Namaygoosisagagun First Nation (Collins First Nation). Significant damage was also reported at Whitewater Lake First Nation. Mandatory evacuations were ordered for Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek (Gull Bay First Nation), Whitesand First Nation, and residents in the Armstrong area. Hundreds of people from these and other communities were displaced, with Aroland First Nation and Ojibway of Saugeen First Nation also evacuated before returning home later.

What was the government's response to the fire?

The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources deployed hundreds of wildland firefighters and dozens of aircraft. A 20-person Incident Management Team was assigned to the fire, overseeing crews and heavy equipment. The province issued implementation orders restricting travel and established evacuation centres. The response also included assessment flights for damage and later, a significant $650 million funding announcement for new firefighting equipment and 170 new personnel positions.

What were the environmental and economic impacts of the fire?

The fire burned vast areas of Wabakimi Provincial Park and boreal forest, causing loss of wildlife habitat and potential long-term ecological changes. It generated massive smoke plumes that degraded air quality across northwestern Ontario and into parts of the northern United States. Highway closures disrupted travel and supply chains, impacting local businesses. The Ministry of Natural Resources worked on infrastructure restoration, including road and bridge repair for Namaygoosisagagun First Nation, and engaged with tourist operators to assess damages.

When did the Thunder Bay 36 Fire start and how big did it get?

The Thunder Bay 36 Fire started on 12 July 2026. It grew rapidly through mid July and was measured at 314,000 hectares as of 29 July, making it the largest wildfire in Ontario's recorded history. This size far exceeded the previous provincial record of 196,974 hectares. The fire was created when the Dryden 13 fire merged with several other fires in Wabakimi Provincial Park. By late July, it was part of the Rinker Lake Complex, which together with Dryden 34 and Dryden 35 covered more than 377,000 hectares of burned forest.

How many people were evacuated because of the wildfire?

Approximately 2,415 people had evacuated to host communities by 20 July 2026. Evacuees were relocated to communities including Thunder Bay, Kenora, Fort Frances, Sioux Lookout, Toronto, and Barrie. The number of evacuees declined to roughly 2,088 by 29 July as some communities like Aroland First Nation returned home. By late August, provincial figures indicated roughly 829 people remained displaced due to wildfires across Ontario, with about 2,000 evacuees having returned home. Evacuations impacted multiple First Nations, with Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek and others under mandatory orders.

Is the Thunder Bay 36 Fire still burning?

As of late August 2026, the Thunder Bay 36 Fire was still active and classified as not under control, but fire activity across the Rinker Lake Complex was low. Recent rainfall had reduced fire behaviour and there had been no significant growth for several days. The implementation order restricting travel and land use around the fire was updated in late August, removing some areas. The provincial restricted fire zone and related travel bans in Northwestern Ontario were lifted effective 20 August 2026.

Sources and further reading

• Thunder Bay 36 Fire (Wikipedia)
• Favourable weather conditions helping firefighters (nwonewswatch.com)
• Here's the latest on northwestern Ontario's forest fires (cbc.ca)
• Thunder Bay 36 largest wildfire in Ontario history, by far (elliotlaketoday.com)
• LATEST: What we know right now about the wildfire situation (snnewswatch.com)

Checked by the Your Space Hamilton desk. Last updated 2026-10-27.