Premier Doug Ford is set to provide an update on Ontario’s wildfire fighting efforts as his government faces criticism from devastated First Nations for its alleged slow response.

Ford will be joined by Emergency Preparedness Minister Jill Dunlop and Natural Resources Minister Mike Harris at the news conference.

Dunlop wrote a letter to her federal counterpart Thursday asking Ottawa to standby to help evacuate communities by aircraft as the wildfire situation became increasingly volatile.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has said his government is in close contact with Ontario officials and is ready to help as needed.

Meanwhile, some First Nations leaders have criticized Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources for not issuing evacuation orders quickly enough as fire closed in on communities.

Chiefs at the Assembly of First Nations meeting on Thursday said Whitesand First Nation and Namaygoosisagagun First Nation, also known as Collins First Nation, evacuated residents without help from the province.

The Canadian Press reached out to Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources for comment but did not hear back. Ford has said crews and aircraft were fighting more than 180 wildfires across northern Ontario, and the province will spare no expense to keep people safe.

Smoke from the fires in northern Ontario has been drifting south, prompting air quality warnings across a large swath of the province, including Toronto.

Environment Canada says the hazy, smoky conditions may briefly improve today before poor air quality returns this evening. The weather agency says smoky skies could persist into the weekend.

The forest fires across the north have already razed communities, including Collins First Nation, north of Thunder Bay. The Assembly of First Nations has called on Ottawa to provide immediate support.

Firefighters and water bombers from Alberta have been sent to help Ontario.

The fires prompted evacuation orders for several communities, including Armstrong, Lac La Croix First Nation, Whitesand First Nation, Gull Bay First Nation and Lac des Mille Lacs First Nation.

Today, the province added an evacuation order for an area along Highway 11, east of Atikokan and south of Lac des Mille Lacs First Nation.

Officials say there are 129 active fires in the northwest region, 62 of them burning out of control, and another 61 fires in the northeast.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 17, 2026.

– with files from Allison Jones in Toronto

Kathryn Mannie, The Canadian Press