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Overview

The Modifying Industrial Operations Protocol (MIOP) and the Industrial Operations Protocol (IOP) were developed to give direction to industries working within wildland areas (grass, brush and forest) of Ontario on how to prevent wildland fires and how to be prepared to control any fires occurring on or near their industrial worksites.

The protocol applies to industrial operations within the Ontario Fire Region during the fire season, which is April 1 to October 31 each year.

Learn more about the Industrial Operations Protocol (IOP, PDF) for operations governed under the Wildland Fire Management Act, and Ontario Regulation 43/26 (Wildland Fire Management) as amended.

Learn more about the Modifying Industrial Operations Protocol (MIOP, PDF) for operations governed by a forest management plan approved under the Crown Forest Sustainability Act, 1994.

For more information on the MIOP or the IOP Training (including Fuel Group Decision Keys) and how to access the wildland fire suppression training manual (SP 102, 105 and 106), contact your local Fire Management Headquarters.

How to evaluate the risk of fire

Fire intensity is the key indicator that determines the difficulty of controlling a wildland fire.

Industries or municipalities with operations in wildland areas rely on fire intensity codes to modify work activities as fire danger increases. During these times, extra precautions may be required or work may be modified or put on hold until it is safe to continue to prevent any fires from starting.

Use the forest fire info map to view the wildland fire danger ratings and current wildland fire activity.

Here are 5 steps to determine how and when operations should continue or stop.

1. Check the operational risk or fire risk category

Some industrial operations are more likely to create a source of ignition (for example, a spark from heavy equipment).

2. Check if the wildland area is in leaf on or leaf off condition

The risk of wildland fire ignition changes with the seasons. The protocol refers to leaf off or leaf on conditions as the trigger point when these conditions change.

3. Find the fuel group on the worksite

There are 5 fuel groups used in the protocols. They range from:

  • fuel group 1: the least flammable or hazardous which consists primarily of deciduous forest types in the leaf on condition
  • fuel group 5: the most flammable or hazardous which consists of conifer forest types that burn easily, including those impacted by insects

4. Check the difficulty of controlling a wildland fire

Use the fire intensity codes and weather forecasts to determine the difficulty of controlling a wildland fire.

5. Cross reference operational risk or fire risk category to fire intensity code

Operations may be modified or put on hold for all or part of the next day or until the fire intensity code changes.

Industrial fire intensity codes

Industrial fire intensity codes are updated from 15:30 to 16:30 Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) and 14:30 to 15:30 Central Daylight Time (CDT) for all stations in the Ontario Fire Region:

Northeast Region fire weather and Cooperators report

Weather observations and forecasts

Available after 15:30 EDT, 14:30 CDT:

Cooperators report

Learn about the current fire situation (PDF) in the Northeast Region.

Northwest Region weather and Cooperators report

Weather observations and forecasts

Available after 15:30 EDT, 14:30 CDT:

Cooperators report

Learn about the current fire situation (PDF) in the Northwest Region.