Staff Writer memara@fortfrances.com There has been an increase in fire activity in the region, with 34 active fires in the northwestern region and 13 for the eastern side of the province from the Town of Marathon to Quebec, adding up to a total of 47 active fires in Ontario. Chris Marchand, fire information officer with the Aviation Forest Fire and Emergency Services centre in Dryden, said there has been a lot of action in the Fort Frances area. “There is a cluster of fires in Fort Frances 43, 44 and 45. These are approximately 55 kilometres north of Fort Frances,” Marchand said. “These fires received some aerial suppression from water bombers as fire behaviour was quite challenging on them.”