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FREDERICTON — New Brunswickers will be permitted once again to enter the province’s forests, following a bout of cool weather that has reduced the risk of wildfires, officials said Monday.
Starting Tuesday at 12:01 a.m., the province will lift its ban on access to Crown land, parts of which have been scorched in recent weeks by wildfires triggered by drought-like conditions and lightning.
“I would like to thank New Brunswickers for their co-operation, for changing their plans for protecting our forests and communities,” Premier Susan Holt said Monday.
About two weeks ago, there were 39 active wildfires across the province, and temperatures were close to 40 C with the humidex, said Natural Resources Minister John Herron. But over the past couple of days, temperatures have fallen well into the “very low teens” at night, he said, adding that parts of New Brunswick got rain on Monday, which has helped in firefighting.
However, the province is not completely out of the woods, because the wildfire situation “remains serious,” Herron warned. On Monday there were 18 active wildfires in the province with three considered out of control.
“We’re asking all New Brunswickers to be safe and cautious when returning to the woods and to stay away from areas where firefighters are still actively fighting wildfires,” he said.
“We rely on our forests as an economic driver in our province, as well as for our enjoyment and recreation. Lifting most of these restrictions will allow all of us to get back to our routines; however, if there are new fires, we may have to reconsider.”
While most restrictions will lift Tuesday, some limits on forestry operations will remain. Timber harvesting will only be allowed between 6 p.m. and noon to avoid the hottest and driest part of the day, Herron said, adding that the rules will be reassessed everyday.
No structures have been damaged by fire, Herron said, but “a good number” of power lines have been burned, causing the province’s power utility some infrastructure loss.
The total area burned this year is 22 square kilometres, compared with 1.87 square kilometres last year. The 10-year average is about four square kilometres. There have been 293 fires this year compared with 224 in 2024; the 10-year average for the province is 215.
Officials are investigating the causes of the fires, Herron said. The province has determined that the Black River Bridge blaze, detected Aug. 24 in northeastern New Brunswick, was ignited because of “holdover lightning” — when a lightning strike causes a fire to smoulder underground.
“We believe that fire may have been a result of a holdover lightning strike from days ago — and that would be about five or six days ago — so the lightning may have been burning in the ground and popped out due to conditions.”
Holt said the government still doesn’t have a precise amount on how much the province spent tackling fires this year.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 25, 2025.
Hina Alam, The Canadian Press
