Smoke from Sudbury-area brush fire briefly shuts Highway 17

Traffic was blocked in both directions just outside Nairn Centre on Highway 17 due to a grass fire heading into the bush. Amateur footage shows the fire.

Highway 17 was temporarily closed in the Whitefish area Saturday afternoon due to heavy smoke from a brush fire, authorities said.

Greater Sudbury Fire Services Deputy Chief Jesse Oshell told CTV News in a brief telephone interview that the fire, near the intersection of St Pothier Road and Highway 17, was reported around 3 p.m. on June 14.

“The highway was closed due to smoke coming across the road and for firefighter safety since they were working on the roadway,” Oshell said.

According to Ontario 511, the highway reopened shortly after 4 p.m.

Oshell said crews were able to quickly contain the blaze without requiring assistance from the Ministry of Natural Resources.

“We did not require the assistance of MNR, thankfully, but we were able to get that fire surrounded and under control,” he said.

“Once we got resources on the fire, it was contained and put out.”

Firefighters from Lively and Whitefish, along with full-time crews from Greater Sudbury’s city core, responded to the scene.

The fire burned an area roughly the size of a football field, Oshell said, though its cause remains undetermined. No structures were damaged, and no injuries were reported.

The wildland fire danger rating in the region is currently listed as “high,” according to the latest MNR forest fire update.