The Walpole Island Fire Department says crews have worked “tirelessly” over the past few days because of “deliberately” set fires.
Fire Chief Bob Smith says it started with a brush fire call Thursday night from a small passing cargo ship.
Since then, it “kind of opened the floodgates and we got some larger marsh fires over the weekend,” he told CBC News.
According to Smith, his 20 volunteer firefighters have responded to 14 marshland fire calls and two for structure fires since Thursday night.
Smith said spring and fall tend to be their busiest times of the year for “wild land” fire calls.
Smith said now is not the time of year for open burning.
“Typically, if they were to do a controlled burn themselves, they try and do it before all of the wildlife start nesting. Unfortunately, this year it kind of overlapped.”
Smith said wildlife like ducks, beavers, rabbits, foxes, muskrats and other birds that nest in marshlands could be severely impacted.
“These actions are destroying vital nesting ground, and natural habitats that wildlife depend on — especially during this sensitive season when many animals are caring for their young.”
The fire service urged anyone who witnesses fires being deliberately set not to intervene and take a photo, if possible, and to report the incident immediately to local authorities.
