Evacuations ordered due to forest fire out of control near Ontario towns [Video]

Evacuations are being ordered or recommended for residents near a forest fire burning out of control and under extreme heat warnings and an air quality statement in western Ontario.

Ontario Forest Fires issued an evacuation alert on Tuesday for residents and cottagers near Kenora, with the province saying firefighters are battling a fire dubbed KEN020 that’s seen “increased fire behaviour.”

Residents in multiple municipalities are now being “strongly encouraged to evacuate,” the province says, while others are under evacuation orders, according to firefighters.

Pellatt United Firefighters says there is an official evacuation notice in effect for Rice Lake, Malachi and Ottermere.

Other communities being encouraged to proactively evacuate include:

• Malachi Lake.
• Otter Lake.
• Mantario Lake.
• Hello Lake.
• Jadel Lake.
• Musk Lake.
• Southern reaches of Tetu Lake including Scot Bay.

The Kenora area is also under a …