Latest news with #RogerGillingham
CBC
11-05-2025
- Climate
- CBC
C.B.N. community starts looking forward as forest fire restoration efforts continue
Days after a wildfire tore through the community of Small Point-Adam's Cove-Blackhead-Broad Cove, residents are still dealing with shock as they try to move forward. Roger Gillingham, chief of the North Shore Volunteer Fire Department, says all the fires are out and they're getting a sense of the damage to the community. He says a total of 45 structures were destroyed by the fire, including 12 permanent and seasonal homes. The remaining buildings include outbuildings, sheds, and garages. "The dangers with respect to the fire itself have been taken care of," he said. Now, he says the community is concerned about the quality of drinking water, and the air quality. "We can still smell that burn," he added. As for the cause of the fire, Gillingham said it's still unknown. He said fire investigators have been to the town, but he hasn't heard anything from them yet, and isn't sure if he will. He said around this time of year the department typically assesses the potential for bush fires and grass fires in the community. "I don't think we ever dreamed that we'd see something like this," he said. Phone services also went down in the community during the fire, impacting the fire department's pager system, which is used for essential communication during emergencies. While services are still down for some homeowners, Gillingham says they were lucky that Bell was able to come to the town yesterday to repair their paging system. In an emailed statement, Bell Public Affairs Manager Patricia Garcia told CBC News, "We now have the all clear to start restoration efforts to repair the extensive damage to our critical infrastructure caused by the forest fire." Garcia said that the community's emergency services line was restored, and that their teams are working to restore remaining services swiftly and safely. Community centre support The town's community centre has become a hub of community support, says Broad Cove resident Wanda Crocker. Crocker has been helping people at the Salem Community Centre since Wednesday. She says residents' who have lost their homes have had their most immediate needs taken care of, thanks to an outpouring of support and donations from the community and local businesses. On Saturday, Crocker said Eastern Health and mental health support services were also at the centre to help people affected by the fires. "Having this place to connect with people through this tragedy has been a real blessing." Days after the fire started, the tragedy of what happened is starting to kick in for residents, said Crocker. "This is starting to feel like really real," she said. Small-Point Adam's Cove mayor, Curtis Delaney, says the wildfire was a tragedy and has had a major impact on the community. But despite this, he says people have now started looking forward. Some people are contemplating rebuilding their homes, he said, if they have the resources to do so. "It's going to take months and years for Adam's Cove to return to even some resemblance of what it was," said Delaney.
CBC
08-05-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Adam's Cove fire contained, state of emergency continues in C.B.N.
A wildfire that forced residents of Small Point-Adam's Cove-Blackhead-Broad Cove in Conception Bay North to flee their community has now been deemed contained, says the provincial forest fire duty officer. Roger Gillingham, chief of the North Shore Volunteer Fire Department, told Radio-Canada that favourable weather conditions allowed several dozen firefighters to control the fire. "Right now the only fire that we see are some instances of hot spots from some of the structures that were destroyed in the fire. And there are still some very small fires that are on the outer edges of the fire," Gillingham said at around 3 p.m. NT on Thursday. "But for the most part, the fire is certainly under control now." Multiple water bombers and the use of nine pump trucks also helped quell the fire. The fire prompted the town to declare a state of emergency Wednesday night, and residents of Adam's Cove north of Cave Lane, those north of Black Head Brook and those in the area south of River Loop Road in Western Bay have been told to evacuate. Prior to declaring the fire contained, the provincial government said more than 20 structures, including homes and a warehouse housing recreational vehicles, had been affected by the fire, which the government said was 600 hectares in size. "In some cases, it's very difficult to actually determine if there was one or two structures in a certain place. It was like an inferno that passed through," Gillingham said. He said early estimates that at least 12 homes had been destroyed is likely close to the actual number, but it could also be larger. The province also said the ambulance base in the Adam's Cove region has been evacuated as a precaution. Ambulances have been relocated north to Old Perlican, the update said. Provincial forest fire duty officer Jeff Motty told CBC News later Thursday afternoon that the fire's perimeter was 50 per cent contained. "With 50 per cent of the perimeter contained, we're comfortable in stating the fact that we don't expect that fire perimeter to grow," he said. "We can really start working within the perimeter on the edges of it. You know, just go around, identify hot spots, and continue to put them out and suppress that." Gillingham says it's too early to know when people might be able to return to their homes. The next steps involve working with Newfoundland Power to assess damage and to get the electricity back on safely, he said. Adam's Cove resident Pauline White told CBC News the situation on Wednesday was frantic. She and a friend attempted to get to her sister's home in the early hours of the evacuation, but quickly found the route impassable. "We quickly became engulfed in flames and smoke. The dog was going crazy and it was like, 'no, we can't make it. We've got to back out,'" White said White reversed, but found another impassable road. Unable to drive the truck to safety, she says she and her friend got on their ATVs raced down a trail behind Adam's Cove. "So we basically drove through fire," she said. Arriving at her sister's home, they found fire everywhere. Everyone got out safely. White says she's since been back to her own home, and while it's still standing there are scorch marks around her house and garage. "It is Armageddon," said White. The scene in the community reminds her of the 2016 fire in Fort McMurray, which her brother and his family experienced. For now, White is staying with a friend, and at least three of her cats are alright but she hasn't seen two others. She says she's frustrated because of unreliable cell service in the area. "As a matter of fact, I still can't call my family and let them know we're OK and that the house is still fine," she said. Homes destroyed Meanwhile, the town's mayor says he doesn't know the full extent of the damage. "There's a lot of anxiety, a lot of uncertainty right now. And we don't even know exactly which homes have been lost. We know general areas," Mayor Curtis Delaney said. He says there's been no report of injuries, and a lot of the fire was contained overnight. There's still a number of active areas where firefighters are hoping to knock down on Thursday. "As things get cleaned up and hotspots within the community itself are put out, you know, we'll have a better idea of exactly the damage that's done," he said. He says some evacuees have gone to stay with family and friends, but the town is also using the local community centre and a school as evacuation centres. "I've had a number of people even this morning now, wondering now, 'Do I have a house? Is my house still standing,'" he said. The community has a population of around 400 but he says there are also seasonal residents. "It's heartbreaking to see the damage that a fire can do in such a short period of time." He says it's not safe for residents to return and told people to get information from the town's Facebook page. Delaney says every year they're dealing with drier conditions and a greater chance of fires. "All it takes is a spark and it could be my home just as well as anyone else's. It really hits home when it's your area and people that you know," he said. Frank Reynolds, a town councillor, says the last day has been devastating for the community, but everyone came together to help one another. "Everyone's affected. I don't know what's lost, I can't answer that, but it's a devastating time in this community," said Reynolds. Reynolds says the water bombers saved Blackhead and the surrounding area. Sue Rose, who is also a town councillor, says it was a difficult night, and while a few families have lost their homes, everyone is safe. "The firefighters came from all over and the RCMP were just fantastic. They took control and made sure everyone was not entering Adam's Cove," said Rose. Gerry Rogers says the water bombers hadn't been able to fly due to the fog earlier in the day, but they were eventually able to get into the air. "I think this is a direct result of climate change," she said. Power out According to the province's active wildfire dashboard, the fire at Adam's Cove is 15 hectares. Another fire burning at Harding's Pond in Holyrood is one hectare. Both are burning out of control. But CBC meteorologist Ashley Brauweiler says there is some good news in the day's forecast. "Today's relative humidity is quite high compared to yesterday, and showers are expected this afternoon and evening," she said. "The winds shift northeasterly tomorrow between 20-30 km/h with a big drop in temperatures, which should help — along with the chance of showers again tomorrow." The province said conditions are favourable to help suppress the fire on Thursday. Environment Canada has issued a special air quality statement for the northern Avalon Peninsula, because of the fires. "Reduced air quality can be expected along the path of the plumes," reads the statement. "Winds today and tonight will be predominately from the southwest, which should move the majority of the smoke out to sea." There are also fires in Fermeuse and Joe's Lake, northwest of Badger, that are under control. The RCMP has closed route 70 between Adam's Cove and Western Bay and police are asking people to head south toward Victoria or north toward Lower Island Cove. Cabot Academy in Western Bay and Persalvic School Complex in Victoria are also closed. There is also a power outage in the areas around Kingston and Ochre Pit Cove, affecting approximately 230 customers. Newfoundland Power took the power offline on Wednesday. Volunteers rally There are evacuation centres at Persalvic Elementary School in Victoria, the AYLA building on Crutches Road in Lower Island Cove and the Salem Community Centre in Small Point. Janessa Wheeler, a volunteer at the AYLA building, says last night around 10 people came to the centre, as well as pets like budgie birds, cats and dogs. She says the residents are in shock and don't know if they have homes to go back to. "It's devastating and it's sad," said Wheeler. There were many people dropping by to help with food and other donations like toiletries, she says, and local restaurants donated food for breakfast. "It warms my heart to know that there's people out there willing to do this. You don't know what to expect. You don't know when to expect anything coming."
CBC
08-05-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Adam's Cove fire deemed out, state of emergency continues in C.B.N.
A wildfire that forced residents of Small Point-Adam's Cove-Blackhead-Broad Cove in Conception Bay North to flee their community has now been deemed as put out, says the community's fire chief. Roger Gillingham, chief of the North Shore Volunteer Fire Department, told Radio-Canada that favourable weather conditions allowed several dozen firefighters to control the fire. "Right now the only fire that we see are some instances of hot spots from some of the structures that were destroyed in the fire. And there are still some very small fires that are on the outer edges of the fire," Gillingham said at around 3 p.m. NT on Thursday. "But for the most part, the fire is certainly under control now." Multiple water bombers and the use of nine pump trucks also helped quell the fire. The fire prompted the town to declare a state of emergency Wednesday night, and residents of Adam's Cove north of Cave Lane, those north of Black Head Brook and those in the area south of River Loop Road in Western Bay have been told to evacuate. Prior to declaring the fire was out, the provincial government said more than 20 structures, including homes and a warehouse housing recreational vehicles, had been affected by the fire, which the government said was 600 hectares in size. "In some cases, it's very difficult to actually determine if there was one or two structures in a certain place. It was like an inferno that passed through," Gillingham said. He said early estimates that at least 12 homes had been destroyed is likely close to the actual number, but it could also be larger. The province also said the ambulance base in the Adam's Cove region has been evacuated as a precaution. Ambulances have been relocated north to Old Perlican, the update said. Gillingham says it's too early to know when people might be able to return to their homes. The next steps involve working with Newfoundland Power to assess damage and to get the electricity back on safely, he said. Adam's Cove resident Pauline White told CBC News the situation on Wednesday was frantic. She and a friend attempted to get to her sister's home in the early hours of the evacuation, but quickly found the route impassable. "We quickly became engulfed in flames and smoke. The dog was going crazy and it was like, 'no, we can't make it. We've got to back out,'" White said White reversed, but found another impassable road. Unable to drive the truck to safety, she says she and her friend got on their ATVs raced down a trail behind Adam's Cove. "So we basically drove through fire," she said. Arriving at her sister's home, they found fire everywhere. Everyone got out safely. White says she's since been back to her own home, and while it's still standing there are scorch marks around her house and garage. "It is Armageddon," said White. The scene in the community reminds her of the 2016 fire in Fort McMurray, which her brother and his family experienced. For now, White is staying with a friend, and at least three of her cats are alright but she hasn't seen two others. She says she's frustrated because of unreliable cell service in the area. "As a matter of fact, I still can't call my family and let them know we're OK and that the house is still fine," she said. Homes destroyed Meanwhile, the town's mayor says he doesn't know the full extent of the damage. "There's a lot of anxiety, a lot of uncertainty right now. And we don't even know exactly which homes have been lost. We know general areas," Mayor Curtis Delaney said. He says there's been no report of injuries, and a lot of the fire was contained overnight. There's still a number of active areas where firefighters are hoping to knock down on Thursday. "As things get cleaned up and hotspots within the community itself are put out, you know, we'll have a better idea of exactly the damage that's done," he said. He says some evacuees have gone to stay with family and friends, but the town is also using the local community centre and a school as evacuation centres. "I've had a number of people even this morning now, wondering now, 'Do I have a house? Is my house still standing,'" he said. The community has a population of around 400 but he says there are also seasonal residents. "It's heartbreaking to see the damage that a fire can do in such a short period of time." He says it's not safe for residents to return and told people to get information from the town's Facebook page. Delaney says every year they're dealing with drier conditions and a greater chance of fires. "All it takes is a spark and it could be my home just as well as anyone else's. It really hits home when it's your area and people that you know," he said. Frank Reynolds, a town councillor, says the last day has been devastating for the community, but everyone came together to help one another. "Everyone's affected. I don't know what's lost, I can't answer that, but it's a devastating time in this community," said Reynolds. Reynolds says the water bombers saved Blackhead and the surrounding area. Sue Rose, who is also a town councillor, says it was a difficult night, and while a few families have lost their homes, everyone is safe. "The firefighters came from all over and the RCMP were just fantastic. They took control and made sure everyone was not entering Adam's Cove," said Rose. Gerry Rogers says the water bombers hadn't been able to fly due to the fog earlier in the day, but they were eventually able to get into the air. "I think this is a direct result of climate change," she said. Power out According to the province's active wildfire dashboard, the fire at Adam's Cove is 15 hectares. Another fire burning at Harding's Pond in Holyrood is one hectare. Both are burning out of control. But CBC meteorologist Ashley Brauweiler says there is some good news in the day's forecast. "Today's relative humidity is quite high compared to yesterday, and showers are expected this afternoon and evening," she said. "The winds shift northeasterly tomorrow between 20-30 km/h with a big drop in temperatures, which should help — along with the chance of showers again tomorrow." The province said conditions are favourable to help suppress the fire on Thursday. Environment Canada has issued a special air quality statement for the northern Avalon Peninsula, because of the fires. "Reduced air quality can be expected along the path of the plumes," reads the statement. "Winds today and tonight will be predominately from the southwest, which should move the majority of the smoke out to sea." There are also fires in Fermeuse and Joe's Lake, northwest of Badger, that are under control. The RCMP has closed route 70 between Adam's Cove and Western Bay and police are asking people to head south toward Victoria or north toward Lower Island Cove. Cabot Academy in Western Bay and Persalvic School Complex in Victoria are also closed. There is also a power outage in the areas around Kingston and Ochre Pit Cove, affecting approximately 230 customers. Newfoundland Power took the power offline on Wednesday. Volunteers rally There are evacuation centres at Persalvic Elementary School in Victoria, the AYLA building on Crutches Road in Lower Island Cove and the Salem Community Centre in Small Point. Janessa Wheeler, a volunteer at the AYLA building, says last night around 10 people came to the centre, as well as pets like budgie birds, cats and dogs. She says the residents are in shock and don't know if they have homes to go back to. "It's devastating and it's sad," said Wheeler. There were many people dropping by to help with food and other donations like toiletries, she says, and local restaurants donated food for breakfast. "It warms my heart to know that there's people out there willing to do this. You don't know what to expect. You don't know when to expect anything coming."
CBC
08-05-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Adam's Cove fire deemed out as as state of emergency continues in C.B.N., fire chief says
A wildfire that forced residents of Small Point-Adam's Cove-Blackhead-Broad Cove in Conception Bay North to flee their community has now been deemed as put out, says the community's fire chief. Roger Gillingham, chief of the North Shore Volunteer Fire Department, told Radio-Canada that hotspots around the fire remain, but favourable weather conditions allowed several dozen firefighters to control the fire. Multiple water bombers and the use of nine pump trucks also helped quell the fire. The fire prompted the town to declare a state of emergency Wednesday night, and residents of Adam's Cove north of Cave Lane, those north of Black Head Brook and those in the area south of River Loop Road in Western Bay have been told to evacuate. In an update at around 2:30 p.m. NT Thursday, the provincial government said more than 20 structures, including homes and a warehouse housing recreational vehicles, had been affected by the fire, which the government said was 600 hectares in size. The province also said the ambulance base in the Adam's Cove region has been evacuated as a precaution. Ambulances have been relocated north to Old Perlican, the update said. Adam's Cove resident Pauline White told CBC News the situation on Wednesday was frantic. She and a friend attempted to get to her sister's home in the early hours of the evacuation, but quickly found the route impassable. "We quickly became engulfed in flames and smoke. The dog was going crazy and it was like, 'no, we can't make it. We've got to back out,'" White said White reversed, but found another impassable road. Unable to drive the truck to safety, she says she and her friend got on their ATVs raced down a trail behind Adam's Cove. "So we basically drove through fire," she said. Arriving at her sister's home, they found fire everywhere. Everyone got out safely. White says she's since been back to her own home, and while it's still standing there are scorch marks around her house and garage. "It is Armageddon," said White. The scene in the community reminds her of the 2016 fire in Fort McMurray, which her brother and his family experienced. For now, White is staying with a friend, and at least three of her cats are alright but she hasn't seen two others. She says she's frustrated because of unreliable cell service in the area. "As a matter of fact, I still can't call my family and let them know we're OK and that the house is still fine," she said. Homes destroyed Meanwhile, the town's mayor says he doesn't know the full extent of the damage. "There's a lot of anxiety, a lot of uncertainty right now. And we don't even know exactly which homes have been lost. We know general areas," Mayor Curtis Delaney said. He says there's been no report of injuries, and a lot of the fire was contained overnight. There's still a number of active areas where firefighters are hoping to knock down on Thursday. "As things get cleaned up and hotspots within the community itself are put out, you know, we'll have a better idea of exactly the damage that's done," he said. He says some evacuees have gone to stay with family and friends, but the town is also using the local community centre and a school as evacuation centres. "I've had a number of people even this morning now, wondering now, 'Do I have a house? Is my house still standing,'" he said. The community has a population of around 400 but he says there are also seasonal residents. "It's heartbreaking to see the damage that a fire can do in such a short period of time." He says it's not safe for residents to return and told people to get information from the town's Facebook page. Delaney says every year they're dealing with drier conditions and a greater chance of fires. "All it takes is a spark and it could be my home just as well as anyone else's. It really hits home when it's your area and people that you know," he said. Frank Reynolds, a town councillor, says the last day has been devastating for the community, but everyone came together to help one another. "Everyone's affected. I don't know what's lost, I can't answer that, but it's a devastating time in this community," said Reynolds. Reynolds says the water bombers saved Blackhead and the surrounding area. Sue Rose, who is also a town councillor, says it was a difficult night, and while a few families have lost their homes, everyone is safe. "The firefighters came from all over and the RCMP were just fantastic. They took control and made sure everyone was not entering Adam's Cove," said Rose. Gerry Rogers says the water bombers hadn't been able to fly due to the fog earlier in the day, but they were eventually able to get into the air. "I think this is a direct result of climate change," she said. Power out According to the province's active wildfire dashboard, the fire at Adam's Cove is 15 hectares. Another fire burning at Harding's Pond in Holyrood is one hectare. Both are burning out of control. But CBC meteorologist Ashley Brauweiler says there is some good news in the day's forecast. "Today's relative humidity is quite high compared to yesterday, and showers are expected this afternoon and evening," she said. "The winds shift northeasterly tomorrow between 20-30 km/h with a big drop in temperatures, which should help — along with the chance of showers again tomorrow." The province said conditions are favourable to help suppress the fire on Thursday. Environment Canada has issued a special air quality statement for the northern Avalon Peninsula, because of the fires. "Reduced air quality can be expected along the path of the plumes," reads the statement. "Winds today and tonight will be predominately from the southwest, which should move the majority of the smoke out to sea." There are also fires in Fermeuse and Joe's Lake, northwest of Badger, that are under control. The RCMP has closed route 70 between Adam's Cove and Western Bay and police are asking people to head south toward Victoria or north toward Lower Island Cove. Cabot Academy in Western Bay and Persalvic School Complex in Victoria are also closed. There is also a power outage in the areas around Kingston and Ochre Pit Cove, affecting approximately 230 customers. Newfoundland Power took the power offline on Wednesday. Volunteers rally There are evacuation centres at Persalvic Elementary School in Victoria, the AYLA building on Crutches Road in Lower Island Cove and the Salem Community Centre in Small Point. Janessa Wheeler, a volunteer at the AYLA building, says last night around 10 people came to the centre, as well as pets like budgie birds, cats and dogs. She says the residents are in shock and don't know if they have homes to go back to. "It's devastating and it's sad," said Wheeler. There were many people dropping by to help with food and other donations like toiletries, she says, and local restaurants donated food for breakfast. "It warms my heart to know that there's people out there willing to do this. You don't know what to expect. You don't know when to expect anything coming."
