Wainfleet Bog fire

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A wildfire has broken out in Niagara just two days after Conservation Authorities closed the Wainfleet Bog to the public, over concerns that any spark could ignite the vegetation.

Bogs are usually wetlands but the current drought has left this one bone-dry, and now the scene of a smoulerding fire.

Thick white smoke could be seen billowing above the Wainfleet Bog.

Crews have been monitoring the wildfire from air but the real battle is on the ground.

ATV’s were carrying fire rangers to the blaze from a command post just outside the bog. It’s not clear yet what sparked the fire but fire officials say they have it under control.

Kevin Kerkhof from the Haliburton Fire Response says, “The fire occurred in a favourable location where the spread of it was limited by three sides of some small water sources, so the fire itself was in a good spot.”

The fire stretches a hecatre, about the size of a football field and is located roughly in the centre of the bog. Winds have pushed the smoke north east towards some homes.

This fire pales in comparison to the 2012 bog fire, which burned through over 13 hectares. It was left to burn for almost 2 weeks before fire crews got involved.

Carmen D’angelo from the Niagara Conservation Authority believes that anything could start a fire whether it is human error like a cigarette butt or an atv, so there are a lot of causes either purposely or accidentally.

Forecasters are calling for rain later in the week but that comes with the risk of thunderstorms and lightning.