OPP said three CN trains were halted on the track because of forest fires in the Armstrong area.
NAMAYGOOSISAGAGUN — Wildfire activity is affecting railway operations near Namaygoosisagagun First Nation.
OPP disclosed shortly before 5:00 p.m. Tuesday that three trains carrying combustible and flammable materials were stopped and staged near the non-status First Nation, also known as Collins First Nation, between mile markers 20 and 23 of the railway’s Allanwater subdivdision, 32 kilometres from Armstrong.
CN Rail later confirmed that it has temporarily suspended its operations in the area as a precaution due to wildfire activity in the area.
As a safety measure, a company spokesperson told Newswatch, CN employees were evacuated overnight.
The spokesperson said the railway remains in close contact with the MNR and local authorities as the situation continues to evolve.
The remote First Nation is under a mandatory evacuation order, announced by the OPP at 5:30 a.m.Tuesday.
Police are advising members of the public to stay away from the vicinity and to refrain from entering the railway corridor.
“While there is no immediate threat to public safety, emergency responders and railway officials are working together to assess conditions and support ongoing safety measures,” OPP stated in a news release.
The Ministry of Natural Resources reports that a fire that started on May 31, known as Dryden 13, is the primary wildfire affecting Namaygoosisagagun, as well as Armstrong and Whitesand First Nation which are also evacuated.
“High winds and hot, dry conditions have elevated the fire’s intensity in recent days,” a spokesperson told Newswatch late Tuesday.
He said four other fires north of Armstrong have also grown significantly in size over the past 24 hours along the eastern boundary of Wabakimi Provincial Park.
The spokesperson said he was unable to confirm any structural losses in the area.