Key River cottagers concerned by results of investigation into Parry Sound 33 forest fire

The province is saying very little about its investigation into the cause of the Parry Sound 33 forest fire, other than the fact it is not laying charges.

But that isn't good enough for people whose properties were damaged and destroyed this summer.

"I wasn't surprised. Definitely concerned. Maybe a little bit sad," says Lisa Kivinen, co-president of the Key River Area Association.

She represents some of the property owners whose cottages were burnt by the 11-thousand hectare wildfire that saw hundreds evacuated this past summer.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry investigation ruled that a disabled vehicle in a remote area near Henvey Inlet started the fire, but charges will not be laid.

However, the ministry says it is"considering next steps for cost recovery, including possible civil litigation. As such, we are unable to provide additional information."

"The finding doesn't mean that there wasn't any negligence," says Kivinen.

The ministry has not yet revealed how much it cost to fight the fire, but Kivinenbelieves that someone needs to pay that bill.

"I don't believe Ontario taxpayers should be accountable for those costs at all," she says.

Kivinen is askingto see a copy of the investigation report and in the meantime, is encouraging members of her association to contact provincial politicians to raise concerns.

"We want to sensitize them to the destruction of our area, but also we want to highlight that perhaps the standards imposed by the province regarding fire safety need a review," she says.

CBC reported in July allegations from workers building the HenveyInlet wind farm that a disabled vehicle they were using was where the fire started.

Henvey Inlet Wind, a partnership between Henvey Inlet First Nation and U.S.-based Pattern Development, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

Kivinen says the wind farm developers had promised them during the early planning stages for the project that the surrounding environment would be protected.

"We really feel let down," she says.

In response to the findings of the ministry investigation, Henvey Inlet Wind said that it is "grateful to the staff ofMNRFfor their dedication in investigating the cause of the fire over the past several months. We thank the hundreds of workers in the community who are helping build the wind project, which is expected to be completed this spring."

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry has filed lawsuits in the past to recover the costs of fighting a forest fire, most notably the 40-thousand hectare fire known as Timmins 9 from the spring of 2012.

The ministry filed a civil action in 2015 seeking $38 million and that matter is still before the courts.