Smoke from wildfires in the region had already prompted the Newfoundland and Labrador government to declare a state of emergency in the Grand Falls-Windsor, Bishop’s Falls and Connaigre Peninsula areas. Residents are encouraged to call 811 or see a health care provider if they experience any new or troubling symptoms that they believe may be related to the heat or smoke. For information about emergency accommodation, contact the Canadian Red Cross at 1-800-222-9597. The prime minister is asking residents of central Newfoundland communities to prepare for a possible evacuation due to growing forest fires in the region. So far no evacuation order has been given. Premier Andrew Furey says the move is not to create panic, but preparedness because of the rapidly changing situation. MUST READ: From application to aftercare, here’s what you need to stay safe in the sun Premier and Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture Derrick Bragg spoke from Gander on Sunday morning. Furey said smoke and poor air quality in the area were major concerns that led to the decision to call for preparation. “The fire is not in a direct path to those communities at this particular time,” Fuey said. “However, the change in wind patterns could have significant smoke impacts in these communities, Bishop’s Falls and Grand Falls-Windsor.” Furey said people living in these areas with lung problems, such as asthma, should consider leaving before the heavy smoke. Premier Andrew Furey and Minister Derrick Bragg addressed the province from Gander, asking the region to prepare for a possible evacuation. (Government of Newfoundland and Labrador) The Prime Minister also asked “Central Health to start a triage evacuation plan for people in their facilities.” This includes the hospital in Grand Falls-Windsor, as well as long-term care facilities and personal care homes in the area. As for the Connaigre peninsula, Furey said a state of emergency has been declared there due to the closure of the Bay d’Espoir highway. “We are currently building a ship and it is on its way to provide service from the Fortune to the Hermitage, and this will be installed shortly.” He says the current situation is constantly changing. A wildfire rages near Bay d’Espoir Highway, NL on Saturday, August 6, 2022. (Submitted by Derrick Bragg) “Hopefully we get rain and it was all for naught,” Fuey said. The announcement comes less than twelve hours after the Premier declared a state of emergency in the region covering Grand Falls-Windsor, Bishop’s Falls and the Connaigre Peninsula, and just an hour after Minister Bragg extended a regional ban on outdoor fires across the province due to continued dry, stormy weather.
A state of emergency has been declared
The government of Newfoundland and Labrador has declared a state of emergency in parts of central Newfoundland as wildfires continue to rage out of control. The state of emergency covers the Grand Falls-Windsor, Bishop’s Falls and Connaigre Peninsula areas. I have approved a Request for Federal Assistance from @GovNL in response to active fires in the province. Our @CanadianForces staff will work with provincial and municipal officials to plan and coordinate evacuation and movement operations from affected areas. I have approved a request for federal assistance Bill Blair tweeted: “I have approved a request for federal assistance from @GovNL in response to active wildfires in the province. Our @CanadianForces staff will work with provincial and municipal officials to plan and to coordinate evacuation and movement operations from affected areas. / Twitter” in response to active bushfires in the province. Bill Blair on Twitter: “I have approved a Request for Federal Assistance from @GovNL in response to active bushfires in the province. Our @CanadianForces staff will work with provincial and municipal officials to plan and coordinate evacuation and movement operations from affected areas. Twitter staff will work with provincial and municipal officials to plan and coordinate evacuation and movement operations from affected areas. — Bill Blair (@BillBlair) Bill Blair on Twitter: “I have approved a request for federal assistance from @GovNL in response to active wildfires in the province. Our @CanadianForces staff will work with provincial and municipal officials to plan and coordinate the evacuation and movement operations from the affected areas. / Twitter” In a video statement posted on social media Saturday night, Premier Andrew Furey called it the worst fire situation in Newfoundland since 1961 and said while the fires are not threatening communities right now, “the wind is changing and the tobacco distribution pattern will change significantly.” “This is a dynamic situation,” he said, flanked on the video by Forestry Minister Derrick Bragg and incident commander Jason Glode. Furey said they have asked the Central Health District to create an evacuation plan for hospitals, long-term care homes and personal care homes should the need arise, and people living in the affected communities should also be alert for possible evacuation. . “We don’t want to create panic, but we have to act in a responsible way given the current threat level,” he said. In a tweet Saturday night, federal Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair said he had approved the Newfoundland and Labrador government’s request for assistance from the Canadian Forces. Blair said staff would help “plan and coordinate evacuation and movement operations from affected areas.”
WARNING: Expect wildfires to worsen as heat gets more extreme in North America
Fires in central Newfoundland have been burning for two weeks, and the largest, near the Bay d’Espoir Highway, has forced the ongoing closure of the only road in and out of the Connaigre Peninsula. In a video statement Saturday night, Bragg said officials are concerned that given the forecasted weather conditions, this fire will be combined with another burn near Paradise Lake. “We may see the fire run up to 10 kilometers,” Glode said. “That puts us about 10 to 15 kilometers from Grand Falls-Windsor and our main concern is going to be smoke, but also embers and hot ash and things falling on property.” On Sunday afternoon in central Newfoundland, temperatures could reach 28C and winds could reach 35km/h. Glode is asking people in the affected communities to “smart fire” their properties – including mowing grass, cleaning rot and any flammable materials from their property and weeping any trees abutting their homes. Glode said crews are building a fire along the county’s transmission lines. “This is our line of defense in terms of affected communities if the fire gets to that point,” he said. Environment Canada has issued an air quality statement for northeastern Newfoundland, including Grand Falls-Windsor, Clarenville, the Bonavista Peninsula and the Terra Nova area. This story was originally published on CBC News on August 6, 2022. Contains files from Matt McCann, Peter Cowan.
