The latest on Ontario wildfires and smoke, from evacuations to poor air quality

Here is the latest on wildfires in northern Ontario as communities evacuate and much of the province is blanketed in thick and dangerous smoke. All times Eastern.

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3:45 p.m.

The chief of Whitesand First Nation is criticizing what he calls the province’s “slow” response to fires that prompted his community to evacuate.

Chief Lawrence Wanakamik said his community began to self-evacuate on Monday.

Residents are being hosted in Thunder Bay.

Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources did not immediately return a request for comment.

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3 p.m.

The Assembly of First Nations has called on the federal government to provide immediate support to rebuild a First Nation devastated by wildfires in northern Ontario.

A message from Collins First Nation Chief Helen Paavola was read aloud at Thursday’s assembly meeting.

She said her community has been destroyed and residents evacuated without warning or assistance from any ministry.

Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige said over 30 homes, a school and a community centre went up in flames.

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2 p.m.

Toronto’s largest hospital network is reporting a spike in air quality related visits to its emergency departments as thick smoke blankets the city.

University Health Network says it saw an 80 per cent increase in emergency department visits for respiratory and air quality related reasons on Wednesday, compared to the same day two weeks ago.

Preliminary data from Toronto General Hospital and Toronto Western Hospital shows ER visits rising to 36 on July 15, from 20 on July 1.

Dr. Erin O’Connor, UHN’s head of emergency medicine, says she anticipates even more visits Thursday because of the cumulative effect of consecutive days of poor air quality.

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12:45 p.m.

Ontario is getting a helping hand from Alberta in its efforts to tame raging wildfires in the north.

Alberta wildfire officials say 94 firefighters and 13 aircraft have been sent to Ontario.

That includes two water bombers, six smaller air tankers and two helicopter tankers.

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11:30 a.m.

The federal emergency management minister says Ottawa is working closely with Ontario to ensure it has the resources it needs to battle raging wildfires in the north.

Eleanor Olszewski says she’s in close contact with her provincial counterpart.

Ontario has asked the federal government to ensure aircraft and crews are ready to deploy in 24 hours or less to help evacuate wildfire-stricken communities.

Olszewski says four federally-funded helicopters have already joined the fight, and Ottawa is actively assisting affected First Nations.

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11:15 a.m.

A trade union has accused Canadian National Railway of endangering the lives of railworkers who were sent into an active Ontario wildfire area.

The Teamsters say the train was operated by its members and the union’s director of communications Marc-André Gauthier, says the crew had to be treated for smoke inhalation.

A video of the incident shared widely on social media showed orange-red flames closing in on the train as trees burned on both sides of the tracks.

CN Railway said in a statement Wednesday that the train crew was safely evacuated from the area and it has temporarily suspended rail operations near Armstrong.

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10:40 a.m.

Devastating wildfires are also causing health concerns and event cancellations across southern parts of the province as thick smoke plumes linger in the sky for another day.

Environment Canada says the air quality in Toronto continues to be “very high risk” this morning.

Air quality warnings are also in place from Thunder Bay to Kingston, London and Windsor, with conditions in some areas expected to persists until Friday.

The smoke has also reached parts of the northern United States.

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10:15 a.m.

Ontario has asked the federal government to ensure aircraft and crews are ready to deploy in 24 hours or less to help evacuate wildfire-stricken communities.

Ontario Emergency Preparedness Minister Jill Dunlop says in a letter to federal Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski that 15 communities in the north have already started evacuations or are considering them.

She says the situation may continue to escalate rapidly.

Winds out of the northwest could fan the flames of dozens of forest fires, including one fast-moving blaze that damaged and destroyed homes and buildings on Namaygoosisagagun First Nation, also known as Collins First Nation, north of Thunder Bay.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 16, 2026.

The Canadian Press