Orillia firefighters were kept busy Wednesday as crews responded to three separate fires, including a devastating house fire that left a Birch Street resident seeking temporary shelter, a brush fire in an encampment behind the Orillia Recreation Centre and a burning e-scooter later in the evening.
Fire Chief Chris Ferry said the day serves as a reminder that despite a wet spring, increasingly dry conditions are creating elevated fire risks across the region.
"Even though we've had a really wet spring, it's been really dry the last two weeks," Ferry said. "The grass, not only in Orillia but in the surrounding areas, is starting to really dry out quite a bit."
The most significant call came Wednesday morning when firefighters were dispatched to a home on Birch Street.
Investigators have determined the fire originated in the kitchen area of the home. While extensive damage prevented investigators from pinpointing an exact cause, Ferry said the fire is believed to have been accidental.
"It appears that the fire started in the kitchen, but because of all the damage, the actual cause is undetermined," Ferry said.
The Ontario Fire Marshal was notified after one firefighter sustained an injury while battling the blaze. However, the agency declined to attend the scene. The injured firefighter was transported to hospital as a precaution and released later that evening. No other injuries were reported.
Ferry confirmed working smoke alarms were present in the home and activated during the fire. Damage is estimated at approximately $700,000 and the home has been deemed unsafe to enter.
"The insurance company was on scene yesterday and boarded up the structure for safety," Ferry said. "The building department came to look at the building and they provided a do-not-enter, unsafe order on it."
The homeowner, Joanne Hill, is currently staying with a friend while she begins the process of recovering from the loss. Victim Services was also called to assist.
Ferry said the incident highlights the importance of kitchen fire safety, urging residents not to store items on or near stovetops.
"When people are cooking, ensure they are present when cooking is going on," he said. "Once they're finished cooking, ensure the stovetop and the oven and everything is turned off completely."
Approximately 15 firefighters responded to the Birch Street blaze. Just hours later, crews were called to another fire — this one in a wooded area behind the Orillia Recreation Centre.
The call came in shortly before 2 p.m. When firefighters arrived, grass and brush were burning near an encampment located behind the recreation centre. The fire did not spread to any tents and no injuries were reported.
Initially, firefighters requested off-road assistance from Rama and Ramara due to concerns about accessing the remote location.
"There is no road access in there," Ferry said.
However, crews were ultimately able to bring fire trucks into the area after determining the ground was dry enough to support the vehicles. A total of 14 firefighters from Orillia, Rama and Ramara responded.
While the official cause remains undetermined, Ferry said the fire appears to have started from a small campfire within the encampment.
"Because the ground is so dry and the grass is so dry right now, it looks like sparks came out of the campfire and started the grass and brush on fire," he said.
The blaze marked the second fire firefighters have attended in the area since last year. The incident also highlighted broader challenges facing people living outdoors.
Dale Rowe, executive director of The Lighthouse, said outreach workers regularly visit encampments throughout the community to provide food, water, housing assistance and connections to health and social services.
"Our outreach teams are out in the community every day working on bringing services and helping people access what they need," Rowe said.
Although The Lighthouse was not aware of the fire while it was happening, Rowe said some of the individuals involved have since accessed services through the organization.
The long-term goal remains helping people transition from encampments into stable housing.
"In 2025, we helped house 88 people," Rowe said.
However, she noted a lack of affordable and supportive housing continues to be one of the community's biggest challenges.
"There just isn't as much housing to actually go to," she said.
Rowe also pointed to the need for expanded mental health and addiction services.
"If we could focus on building and getting those kind of services in our community, we would have a better response to the homeless situation that we see," she said.
As crews were wrapping up Wednesday's incidents, firefighters responded to a third call involving an e-scooter fire on Scott Street. The blaze was quickly extinguished before it could spread to a nearby home.
"That was more of a minor incident," Ferry said. "It was just a single truck response and they were able to get the fire out before it spread to the house."
Ferry said the trio of incidents capped off what has been an unusually busy stretch for the department.
"It's been very busy for all types of calls for us in the last week," he said.
With summer conditions beginning to dry vegetation throughout the region, Ferry is encouraging residents to follow local burning bylaws and exercise caution around open flames.