Ontario Wildfire Crisis
Massive Wildfires Engulf Ontario Freight Trains as 128 Blazes Rage Across Region
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Key Points
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Officials reported 128 active wildfires in northwestern Ontario, with 53 described as entirely out of control.
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The Armstrong incident occurred on the Allanwater Subdivision near Collins, where three trains hauling flammable materials were halted and crews evacuated.
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Smoke and heat from the fires pushed into the Great Lakes region and the US Northeast, with Montreal under heat alerts and Ottawa/Toronto forecast to reach around 38C.
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Crew members radioed that the fire could overtake their position, with one saying, 'This could potentially overtake us here, this has gotten a little scary,' and another noting they were 'encased in flames.'
A CN Railway freight train was swallowed by flames near Armstrong, Ontario on July 13, as crews radioed that the fire was about to overtake their position. One crew member said, 'This has gotten a little scary,' while another reported they were 'encased in flames.' All crew members survived, according to Global News.
The incident unfolded against a backdrop of 128 active wildfires burning across northwestern Ontario, with 53 of them entirely out of control, according to Ottawa CityNews. The fires have pushed thick smoke and dangerous heat into the Great Lakes region and the northeastern United States.
How the Train Fire Unfolded Near Collins
Three CN Railway trains carrying flammable materials were halted on the Allanwater Subdivision near Collins, Ontario, as wildfires closed in, according to Ottawa CityNews. Crews were evacuated from all three trains. At one point, a crew separated a locomotive to rescue a foreman trapped nearby.
During the rescue, the separated locomotive collided with its own rail cars. That collision sparked additional fires and forced the crew to abandon the train entirely, Global News reported. Despite the chaos, every worker made it out safely. CN Railway temporarily suspended operations in the area.
128 Wildfires Rage With Half Out of Control
Northwestern Ontario is fighting 128 active wildfires right now. Of those, 53 are described as completely out of control, according to Ottawa CityNews. The sheer scale of the crisis has stretched firefighting resources thin across the region.
Dramatic footage of the train surrounded by walls of fire spread quickly online, showing just how fast the blazes can move, BBC reported. The video captured towering orange flames on both sides of the tracks with no clear escape route visible. Officials have been scrambling to coordinate responses across multiple fire zones simultaneously.
Smoke and Heat Blanket Cities Across North America
The fires are not just a local problem. Smoke has pushed south into the Great Lakes region and the US Northeast, cutting air quality across a wide area. Montreal is under a heat alert, and Ottawa and Toronto are forecast to hit around 38°C, according to Global News.
A heat dome is making conditions worse. It is trapping hot air over the region and driving the extreme temperatures that are feeding the fires. The combination of record heat and dry conditions has made this wildfire season especially dangerous across Canada.
Rail Shutdown Threatens Supply Chains Across the Region
CN Railway's suspension of operations in the area is raising concerns about supply chain disruptions. The Allanwater Subdivision is a key freight corridor in northwestern Ontario. Halting trains carrying flammable goods — even temporarily — can ripple across industries that depend on rail, BBC noted.
The Armstrong incident highlights how wildfires can knock out critical infrastructure fast. Experts warn that as extreme heat events become more common, rail lines, roads, and power systems face growing risk. The July 13 fire gave a vivid, real-time example of that vulnerability.
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