Latest news with #TonyCole
CBC
5 days ago
- Climate
- CBC
Crews getting wildfire in Miramichi area under control as dry conditions persist
Social Sharing A wildfire reported Wednesday near Miramichi was close to being under control Thursday afternoon, according to New Brunswick Wildfire Management. Tony Cole said no structures were at risk from on Oldfield Road, about 16 kilometres north of Miramichi, a spokesperson for the wildfire branch. At its largest, the fire spanned about 35 hectares, but had been reduced to about 22 hectares when Cole spoke to CBC News. "We're making good progress on the fire," he said. "We're almost the whole way around it with the hose line." WATCH | Wind, humidity key factors in wildfire risk: How does N.B. establish wildfire risk? 43 minutes ago There is currently no threat to private property, residents or businesses in the area. The Miramichi Fire Department said crews responded to the fire at about 3 p.m. Wednesday and continued to fight the flames into Thursday morning. "The fire did burn through a hydro line but there was no damage to infrastructure," the department said in an emailed statement. Cole said that until a hose line could reach all the way around the fire, it would be considered out of control by the Department of Natural Resources. Because firefighters already had hoses surrounding the fire, Cole expected it to be under control within hours. "Activity is definitely reduced, and we are getting a good handle on it." Wildfire numbers high Although wildfires of this size are expected, given the dry and hot conditions, Cole said it is uncommon for the Maritime provinces to experience high numbers of wildfires. "Typically, we get lots of moisture off the ocean and high humidity because we are a coastal Maritime province. This drying trend seems to be a little bit out of the norm for us." New Brunswick is under a provincewide burn ban to prevent fires from starting and spreading. Cole advised people to be cautious and vigilant during outdoor activities while the extremely hot and dry conditions continue. With a hot and windy weekend approaching, he said a fire can spread in seconds. "With a little bit of wind, [a fire] can happen very quickly in these dry conditions," he said.
CBC
5 days ago
- Climate
- CBC
How does N.B. establish wildfire risk?
As wildfires burn across Canada, wildfire operations supervisor Tony Cole explains how he determines the danger level in New Brunswick.
CBC
6 days ago
- Climate
- CBC
New Brunswick water bombers sent to help fight raging Newfoundland wildfires
As out-of-control wildfires continue to spread in Newfoundland, aircraft from New Brunswick took off from the Fredericton airport Wednesday to help crews battle the blazes. Three Air Tractor 802F water bombers, a bird dog aircraft and an air technician officer headed to Canada's most easterly province to help extinguish three separate blazes that have displaced hundreds over the last three days. Air Tractors are the largest single-engine water bombers in the country, capable of holding 3,100 litres of water apiece. Forest Protection Limited owns and operates 11 Air Tractor 802Fs that are kept at Fredericton International Airport. The water bombers will stay on the island for up to five days, according to Tony Cole, a spokesperson for New Brunswick Wildfire Management. "I expect that they're going to struggle to get these fires under control right away," he said. "It's going to take a fair bit of effort." The fires are located in Kingston and Holyrood on the Avalon Peninsula, and south of Grand Falls-Windsor in the central region. All three are classified as out of control as of Wednesday afternoon, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. Newfoundland isn't expecting any rain for the next 10 days, contributing to tinderbox conditions across the island. Two of the fires have led to evacuation orders for nearby communities — an increasingly common occurrence for Newfoundland and Labrador in recent months. The province has endured 198 wildfires so far this season, compared to just under 60 at the same time last year. Three other fires on the island are now considered to be under control. Atlantic region at risk As the risk of wildfires grows across the Atlantic region with continued dry conditions, Cole advises New Brunswickers to be cautious in the heat. "I would just ask people to be very vigilant and careful, and exercise extreme caution during this time," Cole said. According to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, the national preparedness level is currently a five on a five-point scale. That means firefighters and equipment in every region in Canada are in use and help has been requested from outside the country. The entire province of New Brunswick is currently under a fire ban.
