Dry conditions in Muskoka spark concern
The fire danger rating in Muskoka is set to high, with officials warning residents and visitors the dry conditions can cause a small fire to spread rapidly.
"Dry grass and leaves can ignite easily from something as small as an improperly discarded cigarette butt," Muskoka Association of Fire Chiefs stated in a release today, noting how it only takes minutes for a spark to grow out of control.
Different municipalities have different rules for each rating, but in cottage country are asking residents to avoid any unnecessary burning.
Fire officials say it's important to do your part to "reduce the risk."
"Just be really cautious with what you're doing. If you had a pile of brush that you wanted to put in your burn barrel and you thought, 'I'm going to burn it this weekend.' If you don't need to burn it this weekend, wait until we drop down to a moderate or low," said Gravenhurst Fire Chief Jared Cayley.
The fire chief said one of the most common mistakes he's seen throughout his career is people thinking they can extinguish a fire themselves or hesitating to call for help.
He advises calling 911 immediately if something goes wrong with a fire so crews can tackle it before things get out of control.
The Muskoka fire season runs from April to the end of October.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.