Adam's Cove fire under control, damage assessment still to come, says mayor
A wildfire that forced residents of a rural Newfoundland community to flee their homes was pushed back on Thursday, and is now under control — but the mayor warns rebuilding will take some time as a damage assessment gets underway.
The town of Small Point-Broad Cove-Blackhead-Adam's Cove has been under a state of emergency since Wednesday night. More than 20 buildings have been damaged or destroyed, the provincial government said on Thursday, including at least 12 homes.
"There's going to be a lot of cleanup. There's a lot of assessment that needs to be done in the area and that'll be the priority now in the upcoming days," Mayor Curtis Delaney told CBC Radio's The St. John's Morning Show.
The mayor said he's not positive when residents will be able to return to the community, and hot spots are being monitored over the next few days.
"Before anyone goes back into that area, it has to be a safe situation," said Delaney.
Newfoundland Power, which had shut off power to the area on Wednesday, was on the scene on Thursday for an assessment.
"You can imagine there's a bit of infrastructure damage on their end," Delaney said.
The cause of the fire isn't yet known and the investigation will likely start soon, the mayor said.
"We can't do anything to bring back some of the structures that have been lost," he said.
"But you know, we'll work with them and with different levels of government and see what assistance and what resources that we can provide as a town and as a province."
Resources for people evacuated
There are still resources in place to help those who have been affected by the fire, says Delaney, including the Small Point Community Centre. The Red Cross and Salvation Army have been offering help since Thursday. The school in Western Bay is also acting as a reception area.
"We've actually had an outpouring of support, you know, not only just from the local area, but from outside," Delaney said.
"It's just amazing how the area has come together."
Delaney says he's thankful to the emergency responders and the work of the countless volunteers who stepped up to help with food and shelter.
"Everyone that has come together, and as bad a situation is, things could have been a lot worse. We're just focusing on safety right now." he said.
"We'll get people back in as quickly as we can."
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