Firefighting crews are continuing to tackle several wildfires burning across Labrador on Wednesday — which are bringing smoke and air quality concerns across the region.
Newfoundland and Labrador’s active wildfire dashboard lists 22 active wildfires across Labrador.
As of roughly 11:30 a.m., the Walsh River fire, about 12 kilometres from Labrador City and 14 kilometres from Wabush, is still listed as out of control.
Progress has been made on four other fires around the Labrador West communities. The Blueberry Hill fire has been extinguished. The Swanson Lake fire is now considered under control. The Fifth Lake and De Mille Lake fires are being held.
Crews are also fighting fires at Bob’s Brook, around 90 kilometres west of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, and at Brinco Bridge, roughly 18 kilometres from Churchill Falls.
Forestry Minister Pleaman Forsey visited the Labrador City area on Sunday, and told CBC News he saw the scale of the fires first-hand.
“The main concern, of course, was the hot weather that was coming in these couple days. And of course we’ve had some flare-ups and a couple of fires in the past couple of days,” Forsey said Wednesday.
Forsey said seeing the devastation caused by the fires was “disheartening.” “But just knowing that the crews are there doing their job, and the helicopter pilots — again, everybody — it puts you in a comfortable feeling that they’re in great hands with the workers that we have there.”
As fires burn across Labrador, the focus is putting out the ones near communities, says N.L. minister
Forsey said four waterbombers are involved in firefighting efforts, along with helicopters and ground crews including 57 firefighters. Twenty of those firefighters are from Nova Scotia, he said.
The Labrador City area is at an extreme fire risk as of Wednesday morning, according to the province’s fire weather index. The rest of Labrador is under a moderate to high risk, while Newfoundland’s Burin Peninsula is also at extreme risk.
Fires burning in both Labrador and Quebec have brought air quality concerns across the region. Labrador City is facing low to moderate risks to air quality on Wednesday and Thursday, according to Environment Canada.
Dr. Itai Malkin, a medical officer of health in Newfoundland and Labrador, said anyone can be susceptible to the impacts of smoke inhalation. But those with underlying conditions or those in more vulnerable populations can be at a higher risk.
“Everybody is likely to get those mild symptoms, like that tickle in the throat or the eyes. That should just be a reminder for you that you are exposed to smoke and that you should remove yourself from that situation,” Malkin told CBC News.
Malkin said people can protect themselves by limiting outdoor activity and exertion, staying indoors or filtering the air in your home when possible, and wearing something like an N95 mask if you have to be outside.
If you experience more severe symptoms, like severe coughing or impacts to breathing, drinking or eating, Malkin said urgent care could be required.
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