St-Charles Ontario Fire Department

08/01/2026

We have had a bunch of interest and questions following this weeks fire.

So, by the numbers:

30 Firefighters 🧯 responded over 2 days
10 trucks 🚒 from 3 departments
22 hours of active suppression activity (roughly 240 individual hours) 🕰️
2.1 hectares - 4 football fields in size 🗺️
17,500 gallons of water applied 💦
4100’ of hose laid

Following a forest fire, it isn’t uncommon to see small amounts of smoke continue to rise from isolated areas for several days.

Forest fires can burn deep into organic material such as moss, roots, and peat, allowing hot spots to remain underground long after the visible flames have been extinguished. As these hot spots slowly work their way to the surface, you may notice light smoke from time to time. This is a normal part of the fire suppression process and does not necessarily indicate that the fire is reignited, growing or out of control.

As a precaution, the Fire Department has left hose lines in place. This allows firefighters to quickly access water and respond if any hot spots become active again.

We are continuing to monitor the area and will likely remove hose early in the week. Once removed we will clean, inspect/pressure test, and repack to be ready for the next one.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as crews work to ensure the fire is 100% out. If you notice a significant increase in smoke, visible flames, or fire spreading beyond the burned area, please report it immediately by calling 9-1-1.

Thank you for your continued support and helping keep our community safe. Any non-urgent questions can be directed to the Fire Chief at [email protected], through messenger, or by calling the office at 705-867-0949(not constantly monitored)

07/30/2026

Final update: 2200 – after a short dinner break a single crew re-entered the fire zone for a final walk-through and hotspot check. By dark  everyone was out of the bush and back in station. At this time, we are declaring the fire out, however, hose lines will remain in place over the weekend as with a deep seated fire like this the chance of reignition remains.
After the weekend crews will return to complete the - possibly more pain staking -task of stripping and cleaning all the hose lines used.
The firefighters from all departments appreciated the kind words that were shared both online and in person from those passing by.
And while it was said in person, we greatly appreciate the support from our mutual aid partners as this task would have been near impossible without them

Update: 1500 - approximately 90% extinguished. Crews are working hard on a hot day!

Update: 1100 - 07/30 - crews were back on site at 0800 and resumed fire attack. The fire remains wrapped and three crews from St. Charles and Markstay Warren FD are working into the fires centre.

Original: This evening at 1757hrs crews were dispatched for a possible forest fire. On arrival crews found a smoke plume and located a well established fire off into the bush.

Hoseline’s and water supply were established and with assistance from the French River Fire Department we were able to completely wrap the fire and make decent headway on full suppression.

Crews were pushed out of the bush at dark and operations will resume in the morning, and are expected to last most of the day.

Point of Origin was located and determined to be a LIGHTENING STRIKE from one of the storms that rolled through the area this week.

Please avoid the area while operations are ongoing. Access to properties down Hickman Rd will be maintained.

07/17/2026

🔥 Fire Danger Update – St. Charles Fire Department 🔥

The St. Charles Fire Department continues to monitor fire conditions across our municipality and the surrounding area in coordination with our provincial and municipal partners.

Although rain is in the forecast over the coming week, current conditions remain dry enough that the risk of wildfire continues. Even after rainfall, grasses, brush, and other fine fuels can dry out quickly.

At this time, there is NO municipal fire ban in effect.

If you are conducting open-air burning, please do so responsibly and in accordance with the Municipality of St. Charles Open-Air Burning By-law.

Before lighting a fire:
✅ Never leave it unattended.
✅ Keep a water source or other extinguishing equipment nearby.
✅ Ensure the fire is completely out before leaving.
✅ Avoid burning during windy conditions or if conditions become unsafe.

The St. Charles Fire Department will continue to monitor conditions closely and will provide updates should restrictions become necessary.

Thank you for doing your part to help keep our community safe.

06/28/2026

Fire doesn’t care about excuses.

➡️ Living in a rental? Test your alarms monthly and notify your landlord if they aren’t working.
➡️ Burnt dinner a few months ago and heard the alarm sound? That’s not enough. Press the ‘test’ button every month to make sure they’re working.
➡️ Already have an alarm on the main floor of your home? You need a working smoke alarm on every storey and outside all sleeping areas.

No excuses, because only working smoke alarms can save lives.

Having working smoke alarms where required isn’t just smart - it’s the law.

06/28/2026

We look forward to seeing you at this years Canada 🇨🇦 Day celebration hosted by the Municipality of St Charles and the St. Charles Lions Club.

06/25/2026

This is a great reminder as many of us start cutting hay this week.

04/22/2026

Thank you to our dedicated Firefighters who spent their Tuesday evening training to serve you better.

Our volunteer firefighters aren’t just neighbours helping out—they are highly trained professionals who meet the exact same NFPA standards as full-time crews. They don’t just show up when it’s convenient; they:

• leave family dinners at a moment's notice

• jump out of bed for 3:00 AM calls

• step away from their "day jobs" the second the pager sounds

These individuals are the backbone of our fire services, protecting over 80% of Ontario’s geography. 🌲🚜

This , we’re looking past the gear at the people behind it. To the firefighters balancing careers, families, and the sudden ring of a pager: We see the dedication it takes to serve your community at 3:00 AM and still be at your desk by 9:00 AM.

Thank you for the commitment it takes to balance both roles. 👨‍🚒

04/07/2026

ROAD CLOSURE NOTICE
_______________________________________________________________________
Date: Wednesday, April 8th, 2026

Time: 08:30 – 13:00

The Municipality of St.-Charles advises residents and motorists that St. Joseph Street will be temporarily closed from the intersection of HWY 535 to the Western edge of the Firehall Property on Wednesday, April 8th from 08:30 to 13:00.

This closure is required in the interest of public safety to allow for the installation of the new water tank at the St.-Charles Fire Hall.
During this period, local access to St. Joseph Street will be maintained via Notre Dame Street.

We appreciate your cooperation and patience as we work to improve local Fire services.

Should you have any questions please contact the Municipal office at: 705-867-2032 ext. 204 or [email protected]

03/19/2026