Forest officials warned cabin owners around Paradise Lake in central Newfoundland to evacuate Saturday as the risk of a wildfire spreading to the area increases as hot and windy weather is forecast Sunday. Jeff Motty, provincial bushfire officer, says so far no cabins or structures have been lost to the fire. “Our efforts to date have been focused on protecting these structures,” Motty said. “We want to make sure the cabin owners aren’t in there because when things get worse, they get worse very quickly… I mean the fire can jump and get legs and go.” The warning comes ahead of Sunday’s weather forecast for Central Newfoundland. It requires high temperatures and wind speeds, which can cause new fires and the spread of existing wildfires. Forest roads near Paradise Lake and the Bay d’Espoir fires are also closed, but Route 360 — known as the Bay d’Espoir Highway — remains open. 1/3: The forecast for the Central region calls for constant high temperatures and high winds from Sunday. Be aware of the potential for current wildfires to spread and start new fires. pic.twitter.com/cX3ihLv2yX —@FFA_GovNL In an update issued Saturday morning, the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture also advises residents and travelers in the area to be prepared for hot weather and have an emergency plan. The department lists five active wildfires in the province – Deer Pond, two near Newton Lake, one near Bay d’Espoir Highway and Paradise Lake. All fires, except Paradise Lake, are listed as contained to varying degrees. Paradise Lake remains out of control and three water bombers have been assigned to it, as well as 14 workers from the forest conservation center in Gander. “I can’t stress enough the work that the air services are doing between the sea bomber pilots and the ground crews and the mission and all of their command staff to be ready to respond,” Moti said. The Bay d’Espoir motorway was opened to traffic on Monday night. According to Motty, the fire there has been contained by 10%. Charred trees and sections of vegetation on the Bay D’Espoir Highway after a large forest fire swept through the area, closing the highway. (Submitted by Alisha Joe) Moti says there are two helicopters, 38 firefighters and eight pump units deployed to the blaze on Saturday to tackle a 1,035-hectare blaze, or more than 2,500 football pitches. “They’re making really good progress on that site,” Moti said, adding that five milliliters of rain Friday night helped crews. Motty praises the hard work of all emergency responders involved. “There are people in Labrador that have come down to the fire and helped fight this fire. So it’s a full provincial effort,” Moti said. “Accountably, this is a very complex incident.” As of Saturday morning, a total of 61 forest fires have been recorded in the province in 2022, burning a total of 2,714 hectares. Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
