Crews make progress on Red Lake wildfire as evacuation continues: officials

A fire official says crews have made progress on a wildfire that has forced the evacuation of residents in Red Lake, Ont.

Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry fire information officer Jonathan Scott says they’ve been able to keep the fire from spreading the past few days.

He says lighter winds and less smoke has also allowed crews to get a more accurate size of the fire, which is much smaller than initially thought.

Scott says the fire is about 552 hectares in size, lower than the 750 hectares they initially mapped.

Red Lake Mayor Fred Mota says the fire remains about two kilometres from the town and is asking anyone left to leave the area.

He says two neighbourhoods closer to the fire remain without power.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 13, 2020.

The Canadian Press