Wildfires are burning out of control in Ontario's cottage country right now

A forest fire in the Burnt River area of Ontario's cottage country continues to burn out of control, with water bombers and fire crews from multiple stations working tirelessly to contain the flames. 

As of Sunday afternoon, approximately 27 hectares (or just over a quarter of a square kilometre) of forest remained actively burning in the community, located just about an hour and a half northeast of Toronto.

The fire, which first broke out on Friday, has since drawn a major emergency response, including both ground crews and aerial support. 

Firefighters from three Kawartha Lakes Fire Rescue Service (KLFRS) stations are actively battling the blaze, supported by the Trent Lakes Fire Service and multiple Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) teams from the Haliburton detachment. Reinforcements from North Bay are also attending to help bolster the effort. 

🔥 As of Aug 11, 27 ha fire in Burnt River. 7 crews on scene; air support ready. Hot, dry, windy weather could worsen fire. 🚫 Total fire ban. Avoid area—CR 49 closed (CR 121 ↔ Bury’s Green). Report smoke: 705-324-2191. No drones. 🔗 https://t.co/MJ8pYymqN5 pic.twitter.com/j7kUjijbAA

— Kawartha Lakes (@kawarthalakes) August 11, 2025

Water bombers have been making repeated passes over the most active zones, and tanker trucks are pulling water from nearby lakes to support ground crews. 

In a press release, the City of Kawartha Lakes describes the fire zone as a heavily wooded area compromised by prior ice storm damage, with the resulting hazardous terrain making hose deployment difficult and increasing the challenges faced by the firefighters. 

Despite the conditions, there are currently no evacuation orders in effect, and officials are set to deliver the next update on Monday.

For now, residents and visitors are being urged to avoid the Burnt River area, and a road closure will remain in effect on County Road 49 between County Road 121 and Bury’s Green until further notice. A total fire ban is also in effect across the City of Kawartha Lakes. 

As a result, Natural Resources Canada is warning that the risk of wildfires in southern Ontario has reached "extreme" levels. According to a map from the federal department, the risk is high in much of southern Ontario, including Hamilton, Niagara and Toronto.

In the meantime, the impact of the dry weather and wildfire smoke has reached as far as Toronto. Last week, air quality monitoring company IQAir found that the city experienced some of the worst air quality among major global cities. 

While the smoke has somewhat eased, Environment Canada is still reporting Toronto's air quality at a level 4 from Monday through Tuesday night. This means that most people can continue with outdoor activities as normal, but at-risk individuals are advised to reduce or reschedule strenuous outdoor exercise, especially if experiencing symptoms like coughing or throat irritation. 

At the same time, Environment Canada warns that a multi-day heat wave is still impacting Toronto, with daytime highs between 32 C to 35 C and humidex values of a punishing 37 C to 42 C. 

Luckily, a cooler air mass is expected to land on Tuesday night, which will likely bring an end to the sweltering heat.

However, there is still the possibility that eastern Ontario and the GTA could see hot and humid conditions continue into Wednesday. The agency warns that the weather conditions could bring deteriorating air quality, pushing it toward the high-risk category.