New Brunswick Wildfire Management says fire only 15 per cent contained as Environment Canada issues heat warning for region
Despite the fire off Herb Jamieson Road having ‘miminal growth’ through the night, a spokesperson for the New Brunswick Wildfire Management Branch says the fire remains out of control.
“The ‘Slash (York County)’ fire is listed as out of control and is about 5 hectares in size,” said GNB communications officer Nick Brown.
“There are 40 firefighters and three dozers working on it,” he said. “A dozer guard is being built and air attack will be sent in as needed.”
Air tankers spent more than six hours dropping retardant on the fire Saturday, which Canterbury Fire Chief Michael Furrow said helped contain the spread.
Canterbury, North Lake, Debec, and Meductic Fire Departments were back on scene at 7 a.m. Sunday morning, Aug. 10. The departments were joined by other Central Valley firefighters who answered the call for manpower.
Fire teams continue to work toward containment of the fire, which has been burning since approximately 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9.
In his update, Brown noted that the fire near Skiff Lake and the Miramichi fire are the only two fires that remain ‘out of control’ across the province.
“There are currently 10 fires in the province,” he wrote in an email. “There are no reports of any new starts as of 10 a.m. this morning.”
With the Old Field Road Miramichi fire, he said one home and three cottages were put under evacuation last night, with 15 homes put on alert if the fire changes direction. He noted that this fire jumped Highway 8 overnight and burned another 20 hectares. He said the fire is too difficult to accurately measure at this time due to smoke and visibility.
“The conditions (in Lakeland Ridges) are much better today,” said Chief Furrow, “but we are concerned about the weather.”
Environment Canada has issued a heat warning for Southern York County, Carleton County, and Victoria County through Wednesday. Maximum daytime temperatures are expected to be between 30 and 34 degrees with southwest winds at 20 km/h.
On Saturday evening, homeowners in Hartin Settlement were put on an evacuation alert by Justice and Protective Services, but were later notified that the alert was recinded, for now.
Firefighters from Natural Resources stayed at the site overnight to monitor the situation.
“Bulldozers worked through the night, establishing fire guards,” said Chief Furrow in a social media post. “We have lines stretched to the front now and are working at containment. Lakeland Ridges crews are working together to contain this fire.”
Furrow plans to provide updates throughout the day, but asked the public to do their part.
“Refrain from activities that can start a fire,” he said. “Our crews are tired, but still doing their thing. Thank you for understanding.”
Furrow also thanked volunteers who were dragging and manning thousands of feet of hoses, working the fill sites, and providing electrolytes and nourishment to working crews.
“Thank you to the dozer crews, excavator operators, air tankers, DNR teams, EMO, and others I (may) have missed.”
On Saturday afternoon, smoke plumes and fire planes could be seen from homes and cottages along Skiff and First Eel River Lakes.
There is no word on how the fire started.
(MapArt: Atlantic Canada Back Road Atlas image)
The Province of New Brunswick is currently under a fire ban. On Saturday, Aug. 9, the government closed Crown lands and encouraged private land owners to do the same. Conditions across the province are dangerously dry.
More to come…
