Wildfires in Northern Ontario have prompted evacuations, blocked rail traffic and halted forestry operations, as smoke blanketed much of the province and parts of the United States this week. There are 177 active wildland blazes in Ontario, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources, prompting evacuation orders in several communities, such as Armstrong, Lac La Croix First Nation and Whitesand First Nation. While firefighters battle the blazes, conditions are being monitored and some services and businesses have been suspended. Canadian National Railway’s freight network continues to be disrupted. The mainline north of Lake Superior has been closed since Monday and transcontinental freight trains are being rerouted. …Via Rail, which operates mainly on CN tracks, has cancelled service between Toronto and Winnipeg until July 19. …Domtar, one of the country’s largest lumber companies, suspended all harvesting and road building in northwestern Ontario because of the wildfires. [A Globe and Mail subscription is required for full access to this story]