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ST. JOHN’S — Firefighters battling out-of-control wildfires in Newfoundland were facing windy and dry conditions Saturday, while ongoing dry conditions in New Brunswick prompted officials to issue a ban on activities in the woods on provincially owned land.
Three ongoing fires in Newfoundland have forced hundreds of people to evacuate their communities. Two are on the Avalon Peninsula in the Conception Bay North area and to the south near Holyrood. A third fire in central Newfoundland, south of Bishop’s Falls, was reported on Tuesday afternoon.
In his second wildfire news conference of the day, Premier John Hogan said fire conditions were so intense on Saturday that some groundcrews on the Kingston fire in the Conception Bay North area had to be pulled due to concerns for their safety.
The province has also now declared a state of regional emergency for the Bay de Verde peninsula area north of Bristol’s Hope and Whiteway.
“We’re here again this afternoon because it is a very serious and evolving situation,” Hogan said.
Justice and Public Safety Minister John Haggie explained that the state of regional emergency formalizes the structure for collaboration between local firefighting agencies and establishes a clear chain of command.
“In these situations, even the development of a communications plan — who uses what frequency for what circumstances — which is part of this response, will help ensure that wires don’t get crossed and messages are passed clearly,” Haggie said, adding it had the potential to unlock more resources.
Hogan, meanwhile, said the order focuses emergency operations, saying staff in the provincial emergency operations centre will now be physically in the centre as opposed to being there virtually.
During an earlier briefing with reporters on Saturday, Hogan said almost 3,000 people remained under a provincial evacuation order, equating to about 1,500 households.
Later in the day an immediate evacuation order was issued for the area of Burnt Point-Gull Island-Northern Bay as fire activity intensified and residents were advised to head north on Route 70 to a reception centre in Carbonear.
Provincial officials announced that people who had evacuated their primary residence and are registered with the Canadian Red Cross will be eligible for a $500 payment that will be administered through the organization. Details about the program were promised to come within the next few days.
Meanwhile, the premier said tiring local firefighters would be getting more help throughout the weekend with the expected arrival of four water bombers from Quebec — two later Saturday and another two on Sunday. As well, Hogan said a bird dog aircraft from Quebec would be joining the effort along with 20 firefighters from Ontario.
Two more water bombers and a bird dog aircraft would arrive from Ontario on Sunday, Hogan said during the second news conference.
“The Canadian Armed Forces are here … and collectively the support has more than doubled our fire suppression efforts and it also helps to provide a breather for the hard-working crew and volunteers who have been working intensely over the last week,” Hogan said.
He said the conditions had seen the Kingston wildfire, which is the largest of the three, grow to about 30 square kilometres. Late Friday, that wildfire on the Avalon Peninsula was reported to have destroyed nine homes in the small town of Small Point-Adam’s Cove-Blackhead-Broad Cove.
In a social media post, the town confirmed the homes had been lost and it said local officials were in the process of contacting the property owners.
RCMP also confirmed Friday they are investigating the cause of the fire burning near the town and are seeking surveillance footage from residents on the west side of Conception Bay.
On Saturday, Newfoundland and Labrador Crime Stoppers announced that it was offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to the identification and arrest of anyone who may be responsible for intentionally starting a fire.
Elsewhere in Atlantic Canada the fire risk has remained extreme because of dry and hot weather. Nova Scotia has imposed a sweeping ban on activities in wooded areas, while provincewide burn bans are in effect in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.
In New Brunswick, where the provincial government had also earlier imposed restrictions on some forestry operations, Premier Susan Holt announced a sweeping ban Saturday covering all activities on Crown lands, although she didn’t announce any potential increase in fines.
The move prohibits hiking, camping, fishing and the use of vehicles in the woods on Crown lands, while trail systems are also off limits as of 12:01 a.m. Sunday.
“We are in an unprecedented situation and it is getting worse,” Holt told reporters in Fredericton. “We are here to ask all New Brunwickers to get out of the woods and to stay out of the woods.”
Minister of Natural Resources John Herron said of the seven active wildfires burning in the province only one was currently out of control. The fire on Oldfield Road in the Bartibog area northeast of Miramichi, had rapidly grown to about 2.4 square kilometres in size and had closed a section of Route 8, he said.
He said two aircraft from Quebec were assisting with the fire, while department crews were going door-to-door in the sparsely populated area to ensure that people were safe. In the immediate area of the fire he said there were six known camps and up to five other structures.
“There has been no significant rainfall since early July and many areas of our province have had 50 to 75 per cent less precipitation than normal,” Herron said. “We do not expect a change in those weather conditions until Aug. 17 to 19.”
Holt said she realizes there are some people who may not like the government’s latest action, but she stressed it’s meant to ensure safety and preserve the province’s forests.
“I know it sucks, but thank you for understanding,” the premier said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 9, 2025.
— By Keith Doucette in Halifax.
The Canadian Press
