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Ontario Premier Doug Ford speaks in front of a live map of smoke movement during a news conference updating media on ongoing forest fires in Ontario, in Toronto, Friday.Cole Burston/The Canadian Press
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is planning to visit Thunder Bay, where many evacuees fleeing northern Ontario wildfires have sought shelter.
Ford is expected to join Natural Resources Minister Mike Harris in the city today, as the province faces criticism for its emergency response.
Nearly 200 wildfires are blazing across the province, already scorching more land than all of last year’s fires and sending up plumes of hazardous smoke that have choked the skies across Ontario and parts of the United States.
Ford defends Ontario’s wildfire response as smoke blankets central Canada, Eastern U.S.
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Ford has said more than 150 fire crews and over 80 water bombers and helicopters are battling the wildfires and the province would spare no expense in keeping people safe.
Multiple northern communities have already been evacuated or have evacuations under way, and others are preparing for possible evacuations.
Ontario will spend $650-million on five new helicopters and six new water bombers to help fight spreading wildfires, Premier Doug Ford told a press conference on Friday.
Reuters
Ford has faced backlash over the level of funding and resources the province has allocated for wildfire response, while Harris has fielded criticism for his ministry’s handling of the evacuations of two First Nation communities.
Residents of Whitesand First Nation and Namaygoosisagagun First Nation – also known as Collins First Nation – fled approaching wildfires without help from the province.
Harris said Friday that the fire that swallowed Collins First Nation as its residents escaped in boats was only spotted when it was already at the community’s doorstep because it spread so fast.
Members of Collins First Nation and Whitesand First Nation are sheltering in Thunder Bay hotels.