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CBC
20-07-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Musgrave Harbour residents evacuating, wildfire now only 1 kilometre away
The town of Musgrave Harbour in Newfoundland and Labrador has been ordered to evacuate with a wildfire now only 1 kilometer away from the community. The evacuation order also includes Banting Memorial Park Campground, close to the town. All four of the province's active water bombers are now attacking the blaze which is steadily moving toward the town due to the prevailing winds. In a provincial update provided at noon Sunday, Jamie Chippett, Deputy Minister of the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture, said that when the fire was detected at 8:00 p.m. Saturday evening it was 8 kilometres from the community. Now it is only 1 kilometer away. "It is at a very high rank, a rank 5 in technical terms, [that means it's] 'very active.' Newfoundland and Labrador uses the international ranking scale for fire behaviour, meaning a rank 5 would be an extremely vigoirous surface fire. That scale only goes to 6. "The community would be seeing lots of smoke," said Chippett. "We do have weather conditions with a wind that is 40 gusting to 50 west-southwest, which unfortunately puts the community directly in the line of the fire." Chippett said as of yet they don't have an estimate on the size of the fire because of smokey conditions, but they do know it is "within the hundreds of hectares." While tomorrow's winds are supposed to be slightly lighter, Chippett said they'll still be in the direction of the community. Forecasts are also saying that there may be some precipitation during the evening. "The first real relief is on Tuesday when we expect cooler temperatures, different wind direction and potentially some significant precipitation," said Chippett. Minister of Justice and Public Safety John Haggie called it "a significant and serious issue." Musgrave Harbour evacuees are being advised to go to a reception centre in Gander at the Steele Memorial Centre on 155 Airport Boulevard. The Canadian Red Cross will also be there to assist. Haggie asked that everyone affected by the evacuation order call 709-729-0921 to register, even if they are not intending to use the centre or the Red Cross services provided in Gander. "It's important that we have that information so we can help you out even if you don't use the Steel Centre itself," said Haggie. The Minister also asked that any drones be kept clear of the area, as they would prevent water bombers from flying in the area. "Drones in the air means no water bombers in the air," said Haggie. "That is our main weapon during the daylight hours of containing forest fires like this. So unauthorized drone use is actually a criminal offence." Haggie also says the health authority has extra support in place at the James Paton Memorial Regional Health Centre in Gander, for both physical and mental health needs. The province advises residents to monitor official channels for updates. Residents attempting to leave the region without vehicles can go to the Musgrave Harbour fire department to avail of busing transportation, and to be brought to Gander, says Town Clerk Amber Littlejohn. Littlejohn is also asking that residents drive safely, and tell friends and family where they are. She also told CBC that the community is currently "drenched with smoke." The town fire department was on scene fighting the fire all night, said Littlejohn, who added that while they couldn't see the fire from the town, she could see the crews working to fight it. "We have a water bomber going back and forth. He's picking up water from a designated area in the ocean there, off our beach," she said. Musgrave Harbour's town council declared a state of emergency Sunday morning, according to a letter released on social media. The letter states that the council has determined that the wildfire poses a serious safety risk to residents and property within the town. Fires continue across the province Environment Canada has an air quality warning in place in the Musgrave Harbour area due to high levels of smoke at this time. Haggie said air quality is a bigger concern for firefighters at this time. The air quality warning on the Bonavista peninsula due to the fire near Chance Harbour was lifted this morning. "This is a really busy fire season for the province and certainly for the island at the moment," said Haggie. As of Saturday, that fire had grown to over 1,660 hectares and was still considered out of control. Provincial Fire Duty Officer Wesley Morgan says the wind has been helping keep the fire away from the nearby towns of Jamestown and Winter Brook. However it is still very much considered an active fire. In the 11:00 a.m. update, the forestry department said that Chance Harbour residents can expect to see significant smoke from the southern end of the fire. Three helicopters will continue to work the fire throughout the day, and ground crews will be deployed once it is safe to do so. Ground crews are still working on the wildfires at Nine Island Pond and Northwest Brook. At this time, Haggie says the province's fire suppression resources are adequate to deal with the current situation. But if things get worse, the province will look at asking other provinces for help. Province-wide fire ban in effect A fire ban is still in place across the entire province today. The province is reminding residents that open fires are still not permitted. Haggie also wanted to remind people to be careful with cigarette butts. "It is surprising the number of people who just casually toss them out of the window on the highway and we've seen that cause trouble before," he said.
CBC
19-07-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Police evacuating cabins as forest fire ignites in Hickman's Harbour, say RCMP
The Clarenville RCMP are evacuating cabins after a new forest fire was in Hickman's Harbour N.L. Saturday. In a post on social media, Clarenville RCMP say they are currently on the scene, and asking for the public to avoid the area. The provincial Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture Department also say that two water bombers have been diverted to the wildfire, and that forestry crews are on the way. The province is also asking that people in the area pay attention to official channels, such as the RCMP, for information
CBC
16-07-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Communities surrounding out of control wildfire near Chance Harbour told to be ready to flee
Residents of Jamestown and Winter Brook on Newfoundland's Bonavista Peninsula are being asked to be prepared to evacuate quickly as a wildfire continues to burn nearby. Chance Harbour is receiving the most attention of the seven fires burning in the province as all others are either under control or being held, said Provincial fire duty officer Mark Lawlor. He said there's been no change in size of the 1,200-hectare fire as of Wednesday but weather conditions can rapidly change. "The predictions we have are that the fire shouldn't reach those two communities [Jamestown and Winter Brook on Wednesday]," he told CBC News. "If the temperature gets higher, the relative humidity gets lower, and the wind speed increases significantly, that prediction could fail and we could see the fire moving faster than we predicted." A statement from the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture sent Tuesday night said "forecasted north-northwest winds have the potential for heavy smoke and fire growth" toward communities. That forecast is still valid as of Wednesday morning, said Lawlor, although the flames sit 6 kilometres away from residential areas. 'A helpless feeling' Courtney Russell is one of the people playing the waiting game in Winter Brook. She said there was something eerie about looking out her window Wednesday morning, watching the haze drift through the air. "All the smoke is kind of creeping back into our bay," said Russell. Russell and her family have their essentials packed away in a car in case they need to leave at a moment's notice but said waiting for the call to leave is gut wrenching. "My heart goes out to the crowd out in Pudding Cove … There's been so many cabins lost already and there's cabins that are still at risk of being burned now," said Russell. "It's a devastating feeling. It's a helpless feeling. I would not wish this on anybody," she added. The tight knit community is collectively holding its breath, and according to Russell they are putting a lot of faith in the water bombers and the firefighters steadily suppressing the flames. Meanwhile in Labrador, Lawlor said crews have a "good handle" on the fires near Cartwright and Winokapu. While the Winokapu fire — 15 kilometres south of the Trans Labrador Highway on the North side of the Churchill River — is technically considered to be out of control, it's not considered a threat but a smouldering ground fire. Lawlor said a water bomber and helicopters are stationed in Happy Valley-Goose Bay if needed, but he feels there are adequate resources in Labrador at the moment.
