Blasting linked to forest fire at Henvey Inlet wind project, Ontario
EIR-1015Other entries that name Henvey Inlet
Provisional entry. Published from first reports. This entry is rechecked automatically and updated when more sources appear. Next update: 19 September 2026.
A wildfire broke out at the construction site of a wind turbine project on Henvey Inlet First Nation land in Ontario, described in reporting as Ontario's largest wind project. Workers who spoke anonymously to CBC News said crews continued blasting rock and operating heavy machinery, which had already set off a number of small fires, despite a region-wide fire ban. One fire grew beyond the control of the on-site fire suppression equipment available, which one worker described as a 20-litre suppression pack, and spread into the surrounding forest. The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry opened an investigation into whether construction activity caused the blaze, and stated that the cause was not yet known. Pattern Energy Group LP and its affiliate Pattern Development temporarily shut down the project following the fire. The developer said it had not seen any direct evidence of a link between the fire and its construction activities, that it had been operating within ministry guidelines and protocols, and that its contractors had fire prevention plans integrated into their health and safety plans. The project and its general contractor, Quebec-based C.E.R. Construction, were reported to be insured. The investigation outcome was pending at the time of reporting.
Not established. Workers reported that deadline pressure led management to schedule seven-day working weeks and to consider night shifts, and that blasting continued daily despite a region-wide fire ban and earlier small fires caused by machinery. The developer disputed any established link to construction work and the official cause was still under investigation.
- Fire prevention plans and on-site suppression equipment should be scaled to the actual ignition risk of blasting and heavy machinery in dry bush conditions, not treated as a formality.
- A region-wide fire ban should trigger a documented reassessment of construction methods such as blasting, independent of project schedule pressure.
- Repeated small equipment-related ignitions should be logged and treated as a trigger to pause and reassess rather than to continue work.
Published 2026-09-17. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.