Listen to this article
Estimated 4 minutes
The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.
Rainfall across Labrador West is helping fire crews fight five active wildfires within 30 kilometres of Labrador City and Wabush on Wednesday.
Newfoundland and Labrador’s active wildfire dashboard was updated to show Labrador West at a low fire weather index. That was downgraded from a high risk earlier on Wednesday.
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. The dashboard wasn’t updated by Wednesday afternoon.
Other parts of Labrador are under a moderate, high, very high or extreme fire risk. A large portion of central and eastern Labrador is listed at either very high or extreme risk.
The dashboard shows 28 active wildfires in the province — 25 across Labrador and three in central Newfoundland.
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 … We were pretty surrounded with small fires around the area,” Labrador City Mayor Jordan Brown told CBC News Wednesday morning, adding a damp and cool night meant no major fire growth.
As of Wednesday morning, the province still lists all active wildfires in Labrador West as out of control.
An update from the Town of Labrador City early Wednesday afternoon said the rainfall appears to have significantly reduced fire activity.
Ground crews were moving into the Walsh River area to continue suppression and conduct assessments. Forestry teams are also investigating for hotspots, the update said.
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 town’s Wednesday afternoon update said officials are assessing conditions throughout the day.
The nearby town of Fermont, Que., says Route 389, which was closed for hundreds of kilometres on Tuesday, has reopened.
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.
Download our free CBC News app to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Sign up for our daily headlines newsletter here. Click here to visit our landing page.
