Fire crews are working for a third day to fight five active wildfires within 30 kilometres of Labrador City and Wabush on Wednesday, and hope forecasted rain will help the situation.
The largest fire in the area continues to be the Walsh River fire. Newfoundland and Labrador’s active wildfire dashboard listed it at 472 hectares as of 7 p.m. NT on Tuesday, and burning 12 kilometres from Labrador City.
An update from Newfoundland and Labrador’s Department of Forestry, Agriculture and Lands on Tuesday evening said the fire was active throughout the afternoon, and crossed the railway around Labrador City in several locations. However, crews managed to limit the fire’s growth by directing it to an area already burned by a fire in 2024.
Other fires in the area, including the fires near De Mille Lake and Blueberry Hill, were hit by water bombers. The De Mille Lake fire is listed as five hectares, while the Blueberry Hill fire is listed as one hectare.
“Crews and stuff were going from place to place to place. It got very busy yesterday,” Labrador City Mayor Jordan Brown told CBC News Wednesday morning. “We were pretty surrounded with small fires around the area.”
“It was damp and cool last night, so we’re pretty much where we left off yesterday evening as to where we’re to today,” he said.
State of emergency remains in place as crews continue fighting wildfire near Labrador City
As of Wednesday morning, the province still lists all active wildfires in Labrador West as out of control.
A state of emergency and evacuation order is still in effect in parts of Labrador City, after the fire forced around 120 residents from their homes and cabins in the Walsh River, Tamarack Golf Course, Duley Lake and Throne Lake areas on Monday afternoon.
Brown said the province’s emergency operations centre will decide when people can return. The fire weather index for Labrador West was lowered by two values from extreme to high as of Wednesday.
Officials hope Wednesday’s rainy forecast will help firefighting efforts. Environment Canada expects between five and 10 millimetres to fall through the day, along with light winds and a chance of more showers in the evening.
“Thankfully, it’s raining this morning,” Brown said. “Things are dampened down a bit, so that’s what we all wished for Canada Day today.”
The Labrador wildfire suppression team includes ground crews, water bombers, helicopters and a Birddog aircraft from New Brunswick, the department said.
A yellow-level air quality warning is in effect for the area.
Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services is also advising most entrances to the Labrador West Health Centre will be closed to control the flow of smoke in the air. Anyone needing to go to the hospital will have to go through the emergency entrance.
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