Natural Resource Minister says forest harvesting prohibited, but province allowing overnight trucking of wood already cut
While a burn ban remains in place for the entire province, and all Crown lands are closed, staff from the Department of Natural Resources are allowing certain operations to continue under strict protocols.
“Our top priority is safety, and limiting access to the woods is our best defence,” said Natural Resources Minister John Herron. “While we continue to battle wildfires in these unprecedented conditions, we are providing very strict criteria to minimize economic impact and support workers.”
Forest harvesting operations are prohibited provincewide. These operations require work permits under the Forest Fires Act, and all permits provincewide are suspended. Department staff are in the process of notifying all permit holders to ensure they are aware of the cancellation.
Department staff are aware that some trucking of forest products on private land has taken place during overnight hours. Trucking on Crown land has completely ceased, except for several cases where mills are facing critical inventory shortages and in other exceptional circumstances. In these specific cases, the department has temporarily permitted overnight trucking of wood that was already roadside, with enhanced fire equipment and site monitoring requirements.
“Safety is our absolute priority, and New Brunswickers need to know that we are making sure these activities happen in a controlled environment with added precautions,” said Herron.
Forest management activities, including silviculture, tree planting, forest roadwork and herbicide application, remain prohibited until further notice. The department is reviewing this situation regularly.
With regard to blueberry harvesting, Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries, in collaboration with Natural Resources, has launched a permitting process that will allow wild blueberry growers to harvest wild blueberries on Crown land leases under certain conditions and/or use Crown land roads to access their private wild blueberry fields. All other activities related to blueberry production are still prohibited due to the ongoing fire risk.
For the peat industry, Natural Resources has implemented a permitting process that allows for the safe processing of harrowed and stockpiled peat, which is deemed a significant fire risk. All other activities related to new production or extraction are still prohibited.
Residents are encouraged to monitor the department’s Fire Watch page, and there is also a phone line to address forest fire-related questions: 1-833-301-0334.
People are reminded to take precautions when smoke affects the air quality. Infants, children, pregnant women, older adults, smokers and people with chronic heart or lung disease should stay indoors to reduce their exposure to the outdoor air. If smoke conditions become severe, people may experience eye or throat irritation and possibly shortness of breath. People should adapt their activities as necessary.
Anyone with difficulty breathing or chest discomfort should consult their physician or contact Tele-Care 811. People in severe distress should immediately call 911.
