Evacuations of local residents from fire-stricken areas of northwestern Ontario continued on Tuesday, with the entire community of Webequie First Nation now being airlifted to Barrie.

Webequie, located about 540 kilometres north of Thunder Bay, declared a state of emergency Thursday because of a wildfire burning within a kilometre of the community, Canadian Press reported.

Initially, approximately 400 residents from Webequie First Nation were being transported to Barrie as part of the first phase of an evacuation plan, which prioritizes the elderly, children and people with medical conditions.

The status of the evacuation was upgraded today to include all of the remaining residents.

“The community itself wants to evacuate approximately 642 community members. It’s a full evacuation,” Paul Syrette, director of operations with ISN Maskwa, told BarrieToday.

ISN Maskwa is a First Nation-owned company based in Sault Ste. Marie, and focuses mainly on First Nation-led emergency management response. Prior to this year, the company had managed around 20 community evacuations.

The growing fire threat to Webequie is enough now to trigger the full evacuation, Syrette said.

The hundreds of residents arriving in Barrie will be housed in local hotels, and there have been no issues with having enough space, according to Syrette.

“We’ve got capacity to meet all these needs at two locations,” he said.

“All the basic needs are being met. The Red Cross is on board — they always set up their services and participate with any type of evacuation, with all of the regular needs with hygiene, or whatever it may be. That’s all provided by the Red Cross on site,” Syrette said.

Syrette said the duration of their stay in Barrie is hard to estimate, depending on when the fire threat is gone, but he believes they will be in the city possibly through to the end of June.

Meanwhile, Simcoe North MPP Jill Dunlop, Ontario's minister of emergency preparedness and response, said in an email on Tuesday that the provincial government is working in co-ordination with the federal government, Indigenous leadership and local partners to ensure the safe evacuation of residents and delivery of essential services across northern Ontario.

“All evacuees will be provided with comprehensive wraparound supports, including health care, education and other social services,” she said.

According to Dunlop, four evacuation flights to Barrie and Simcoe County were scheduled for Tuesday.

On the other end, “air scrubbers” are being delivered to Webequie by charter flight to help with air quality.

“The initial shipment arrived yesterday, with the final portion expected today,” according to a government statement.

In Barrie, ISN Maskwa has around 25 staff assisting the community as they settle in. Daily meetings are held with all of the local partners, such as emergency services.

“If there are any issues that arise, that they bring to that table, then they are identified and then a course of action is planned out on how to address it,” Syrette said.

He said the uniqueness of fire evacuation is that they happen very fast. The stress for those having to leave their homes in a moment’s notice is immense.

“You need to adjust on the fly as they unfold … and today, as an example, say, by six o’clock today you need to have a bag packed and the planes are coming in. 'We have a fire. We gotta go.' There’s not a lot of time to plan," Syrette added.

Part of the stress is residents coming to an urban municipality such as Barrie, from a remote northern area.

“It’s also what they’ve left back home,” he added. "They are living and dealing with the thoughts of, ‘Is our community going to be there when we get back?' 'Is my home going to be there?' 'And what about my dogs, what about my pets?'"

Syrette notes mental health needs to be considered as arguably the biggest threat to their well-being.

“There are health teams from the community that come in and partner with Barrie’s local health authorities, and together they form plans based on the needs that are identified,” he said.

“Barrie has been tremendous with their health services,” Syrette added. “They’ve been welcoming. I just can’t say enough about the municipality and them rolling out their services to help these communities that come down to their location.”

Webequie First Nation declared state of emergency Thursday due to nearby wildfire; initial stage of evacuation expected to bring around 390 people to city

With the out-of-control wildfires spreading across northwestern Ontario, hundreds of local residents in that area were being evacuated to southern communities Monday, including Barrie.

Webequie First Nation, located about 540 kilometres north of Thunder Bay, declared a state of emergency Thursday because of a wildfire burning within a kilometre of the community, Canadian Press reported.

Approximately 400 residents from Webequie First Nation are expected to be transported to Barrie as part of the first phase of an evacuation plan which prioritizes elders, children and people with medical conditions.

“These are people with certain medical issues and requirements, with the most vulnerable taken out of the community first, along with their family members and support,” Joe Tom Sayers, acting chief executive officer with ISN Maskwa, told BarrieToday.

ISN Maskwa is a First Nation-owned company based in Sault Ste. Marie, and focuses mainly on First Nation-led emergency management response. Prior to this year, the company had managed around 20 community evacuations.

This initial stage of the evacuation is expected to bring around 390 people to Barrie, where they will be housed in local hotels.

“The flights are happening today, so it should take a couple days to get everybody in on the flights, and settled into their rooms and the routines,” Sayers added.

The company is also on standby for a potential full evacuation of Webequie if required.

“(It) may mean another 600-plus community members (to Barrie) … but at this point, we're just focused on stage one,” Sayers added.

“We actually had some folks in Barrie from Kashechewan First Nation during their flooding evacuation a few weeks back, so we already had established relationships with local hotels, the health system in Barrie, city management, as well as Emergency Management Ontario were involved — and are involved in this one as well, along with Indigenous Services Canada, and with the chief and council of Webequie (who) have all been a part of the process,” he added.

ISN Miskwa is managing the transportation needs from the airport to the hotels, as well as rides to local hospital for medical treatment.

“We have a health lead navigator that supports the community and works with the health system to make sure people have appointments for treatment and follow-ups,” Sayers said.

The company also provides recreational activities, “so they are not just sitting in their rooms for days on end,” he said.

As for the City of Barrie and its involvement, Barrie Fire and Emergency Service has had meetings with ISN Maskwa to “stay in the loop as to what is going on,” according to Deputy Chief Eric MacFadden.

“We will support with any needs they may have … with the medically vulnerable people that will be evacuated,” he told BarrieToday on Monday.

When ISN Maskwa hosted Kashechewan First Nation residents last year, there was positive feedback from the community, Sayers said.

“There is a lot of Indigenous organizations that pitched in last year to create an amazing schedule for different cultural activities that the community really enjoyed, so we are looking forward to making that available for Webequie as well, so their overall experience will be a positive one, to take home with them once the threat goes away,” Sayers added.

How can people in Barrie assist with helping the community while they are here?

“We do have the Canadian Red Cross (CRC) involved with these evacuations, so they can donate to the CRC, and that makes its way not just to the local evacuation, but other evacuations that are happening across the country,” he said.

Sayers said other service organizations within Barrie may already be involved, and people can reach out to them and ask if they are assisting with donations to help support the community while they are here.

Many groups are pitching in to help, including the Ministry of Natural Resources as well as Emergency Management Ontario.

As for ISN Maskwa, their model is built on First Nations helping First Nations.

“We know now, given the severity of the fire season starting so early and so widespread, that it’s really all hands on deck … and First Nations are able to step up see how they can support their brothers and sisters,” Sayers said.

As the wildfires continue to worsen in northwestern areas of Ontario, local first responders and services are preparing to accommodate hundreds who have been forced to evacuate.

Approximately 400 residents from Webequie First Nation are expected to be transported to Barrie as part of a Phase 1 evacuation prioritizing elders, children, and individuals with medical conditions.

Eric MacFadden, Barrie’s deputy fire chief, told CTV News that they are expecting evacuees to begin arriving early this week.

“As soon as maybe [Monday] morning,” said MacFadden, who also serves as the city’s alternate community engagement management coordinator. “Barrie will be able to support the more vulnerable people and medically vulnerable people that need to evacuate.”

According to a Saturday evening update by Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), there were 16 active wildland fires in the Northwest Region, including two new ones discovered near Thunder Bay and Nipigon. There were also three active wildland fires in the Northeast Region, including a new one near Sudbury. One of them is contained according to the MNR.

“Ontario stands with our northern communities and neighbouring provinces as they face the devastating impact of ongoing wildfires,” said Jill Dunlop, minister of emergency preparedness and response, in a statement to CTV News. “My team and I are actively working with Indigenous leadership, federal and local partners to support evacuation efforts and with the delivery of essential services in northern Ontario. All evacuees will receive comprehensive wraparound support, including health care, social services, and education supports. We remain committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all affected residents during this critical time.”

MacFadden and Dunlop’s office also confirmed that the 400 evacuating Webequie First Nation residents will be accommodated in Simcoe County by ISN Maskwa, an Indigenous-led community support organization.

When CTV News reached out to Alex Nuttall, Barrie’s mayor, he responded by saying “the city is ready to help and assist.”

The MNR says the fire hazard is ‘high’ to ‘extreme’ across most the Northwest Region and ‘low’ to ‘moderate’ across the Northeast Region.

Note: This is a developing story. We will provide additional updates as they become available.

Hundreds of residents from two First Nations communities in northwestern Ontario are being evacuated as wildfires continue to rage across the region, with officials warning of worsening conditions due to high winds and dry terrain.

The Ministry of Natural Resources reported in Friday evening’s wildfire update bulletin that 14 active fires are burning in the northwest region, three of which were newly discovered. The fire hazard is classified as “high to extreme” across much of the area, prompting the implementation of a Restricted Fire Zone in multiple districts.

For real-time fire hazard conditions, evacuation orders and burning restrictions, consult the MNR’s interactive forest fire map.

Evacuations underway

Approximately 400 residents from Webequie First Nation are expected to be transported to Barrie, Ont., as part of a Phase 1 evacuation prioritizing elders, children, and individuals with medical conditions. The evacuation comes as Nipigon 5, a wildfire threatening the community, expanded to 6,986 hectares and remains not under control.

Chief Cornelius Wabasse of Webequie First Nation assured residents that leadership is working with emergency officials to ensure safety.

“I would encourage all residents of Webequie First Nation to be rest assured that we are committed to keeping our residents informed and safe,” Wabasse said in a May 30 news release. “We will work with partners and government to ensure our needs are met, both in the community and at the evacuation site.”

— A statement issued by Cornelius Wabasse, Chief of Webquie First Nation

Meanwhile, Deer Lake First Nation declared a full evacuation due to the Red Lake 12 fire, which has grown to 9,616 hectares and is encroaching on the community.

Fire ranger crews are laying hose lines and conducting aerial suppression, but smoke is expected to impact the area throughout the weekend.

Parts of #ON are being impacted by smoke drift from active #WildlandFires in ON and the prairie provinces. Visit https://t.co/xLyWPZIh7j for current and forecasted smoke conditions. If you are concerned about health impacts of smoke, visit https://t.co/qN4GTBy574 or dial 811. pic.twitter.com/jvDUw8IrZF

— Ontario Forest Fires (@ONforestfires) May 29, 2025

Political calls for increased support

Sol Mamakwa, Ontario NDP Deputy Leader and MPP for Kiiwetinoog, whose riding includes the two First Nation communities being evacuated, urged the provincial government to expedite support for evacuees and firefighters.

“My thoughts are with the community members from Deer Lake First Nation and Webequie First Nation as they begin their evacuations,” Mamakwa said in a statement on Friday.

“I am calling on the Government of Ontario to fully support the communities... in their evacuations and eventual return.”

He has also been critical of recent budget cuts to wildland firefighting, citing a $42 million reduction in emergency firefighting funds in his news release.

Other fires of concern

Kenora 20, spanning 34,008 hectares (including a Manitoba portion), remains uncontained. Fire crews are managing hotspots with helicopter bucketing operations.

Kenora 14 is being held at 1,607 hectares, while Sioux Lookout 3 and Fort Frances 4 are also under control but still active.

Travel and land use restrictions

The MNR has issued Implementation Orders restricting travel, waterway use, and Crown land access in fire-affected zones, including:

An implementation order and evacuation order are now in effect around active #wildlandfire #Kenora32 in the Kenora District to protect #publicsafety and facilitate fire suppression. Details on our website: https://t.co/6v9vaEFvjs. pic.twitter.com/6UvVxxCE0p

— Ontario Forest Fires (@ONforestfires) May 31, 2025

Ongoing firefighting efforts

Aircraft, including waterbombers and helicopters, are actively suppressing fires near Webequie and Deer Lake. An Incident Management Team has been deployed to oversee the Red Lake 12 response.

Officials warn that high winds and dry conditions could exacerbate fire growth in the coming days. Updates on evacuation logistics and fire status are being shared via the MNR’s interactive fire map and community bulletins.

Wildfire evacuees from two First Nations in northwestern Ontario are being relocated to Toronto and Barrie, Ont., this weekend, after community leaders declared states of emergency this week.

Leaders in Deer Lake First Nation (DLFN), about 70 kilometres from the Manitoba border, said Friday the entire community of about 1,300 people are evacuating to Toronto due to a nearby wildfire estimated to be nearly 75 square kilometres in size.

In Webequie First Nation, about 540 kilometres north of Thunder Bay, Ont., a fire is burning within a kilometre of the community, according to a Friday news release put out by the chief and council. That's prompted the first phase of an evacuation for elders, children and other vulnerable groups, totalling about 400 people.

They will be transported to Barrie over the weekend, the release said.

"We will continue to monitor the fire to determine if further evacuation is needed and will continue ongoing communications with residents," Chief Cornelius Wabasse said in the release.

The fire threatening Deer Lake First Nation and several others burning in the area not yet under control and it's possible that other communities will need to be evacuated, according to Joe Tom Sayers, general manager of the Missanabie Cree Business Corporation.

Among other initiatives, the corporation specializes in First Nation-led emergency responses. It is working with government counterparts at the federal, provincial and municipal levels to bring members of Deer Lake First Nation to Toronto.

Unclear when evacuees could go home

Sayers said the unpredictability of wildfires makes it challenging to estimate how long people may be away from their homes.

"It's very difficult to know how long the folks will be out, and it's not easy for the families. But we do our best to make them comfortable and we've had great support from the municipalities, the hotels, and the community organizations," Sayers told CBC Toronto.

"It's never easy and it's traumatic for folks."

The emergency response wing of the Missanabie Cree Business Corporation has had an especially taxing spring and early summer, he added, first with evacuations due to floods and now with wildfire season picking up.

"Usually these types of fire threats happen later in the summer. We're seeing now with the extreme climate impacts that flood seasons are moving directly into fire seasons and it is certainly putting a lot of stress on all support networks across the province — federal, provincial and First Nation," he said.

Another wildfire northwest of Kenora, Ont., also displaced residents of Wabaseemoong First Nation earlier this month. About 800 people in that community were evacuated to Niagara Falls, with smaller numbers sent to Kenora and Winnipeg.

Sol Mamakwa, MPP for the region where the First Nations are located, urged the province to speed up support for evacuees and other communities being impacted by fires in the north of the province, as well as wildland firefighters.

"It is vital that wildland firefighters are adequately staffed and resourced as they are on the frontlines protecting the residents of northern Ontario," he said.

Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources was not immediately available to provide comment Saturday in response to Mamakwa's statement.