Dozens more people are leaving their homes in remote northwestern Ontario communities Thursday as hundreds of nearby forest fires burn in the region.

Five communities are in a state of emergency, including Deer Lake, Sandy Lake, Keewaywin, Gull Lake and North Spirit Lake.

Provincial officials say northwestern Ontario is 'bone dry.'

About 320 blazes are burning across a swath of land north of Lake Superior, stretching from Thunder Bay to Rainy River. Provincial officials say that section of the province is extremely dry.

About 800 people from Deer Lake, Sandy Lake, and Keewaywin have already been moved to the municipality of Greenstone, including many children, seniors and people with health problems.

Another 140 at-risk people from Gull Lake and North Spirit Lake are being moved to safety Thursday, said Emergency Management Ontario.

It's not known if they will also be taken to Greenstone.

Most of the fires were started by lightning strikes. Fire crews have been struggling to keep pace because almost half of their crews were made up of students who have returned to school.

Officials say about 13,000 hectares have been damaged. No deaths have been reported.

With files from the Canadian Press.