Most of Labrador under high to extreme risk of wildfires

CBC

28-05-2025

Most of Labrador is under a high to extreme risk of wildfires, according to the province's fire hazard map on Wednesday.
Jordan Brown, the NDP MHA for Labrador West, says residents in his area aren't surprised to see their region under an extreme warning on the map.
"The whole winter, we commented on how little snow we're getting," Brown said in an interview Wednesday.
Environment Canada data shows that only 257.1 centimetres of snow has fallen in Labrador throughout the 2024-25 season, compared to about 388 centimetres last year.
Approximately 412.2 centimetres fell in Labrador during 2020-21. The data indicates a trend of diminishing snowpack in the area.
Snowpack is a compressed accumulation of snow that melts over time — sometimes months after the last snowfall — moistening the ground underneath it and providing water to vegetation when the weather is typically dry.
The drier the ground is, the higher the risk of it burning.
Brown said Forestry Minister Lisa Dempster called him shortly after the interview and informed him that a water bomber will be in Labrador West for the next three days.
"It doesn't take much to set a fire in the forest at this time of year," he said.
He's urging residents to "learn from last year" by being cautious and preparing to evacuate if the time comes.
Brown nearly lost his own home in the fires last summer.
"I'm like anybody who should be prepared," he said. "We're completely surrounded by forest."
Western Canada, too, is feeling the force of this fire season.
More than 4,000 Saskatchewan residents evacuated their homes due to wildfires this week. Several communities in Manitoba have declared states of emergency or have evacuated.
Labrador City Deputy Mayor Mitchell Marsh says his community feels more prepared to deal with fires this year than they were last year.
This time, Marsh said, there is a complete evacuation plan expected to be in place by mid-June.
"We all know last year was a little hectic," Marsh told CBC News. "I still am very proud of how we did, but five hours of hecticness, we can definitely control that a little better."
The deputy mayor said the western portion of Labrador is more vulnerable when the ground is "yellow and crunchy," so he's hoping for some rain and green vegetation before a fire can break out.
Like other officials, Marsh is urging residents to be proactive.
There is a complete fire ban active in Labrador City, but Marsh also says it's important to be mindful of heat coming from ATVs and other vehicles, and to be careful when in the woods.
On the island, Justice and Public Safety Minister John Haggie attended an event at the Gander Fire and Rescue Training Grounds Wednesday morning.
He says education is an essential part of preparing for potential wildfires, and that firefighters are prepared.
The minister said the province has the resources to handle multiple significant fires simultaneously.
"I think there is a real desperate need for people to realize just how risky it can be to have an uncontained fire in the province anywhere at the moment," Haggie said.