4 wildfires now out of control in N.B., including week-long Miramichi-area fire
Four New Brunswick wildfires are listed as out-of-control, according to the government's fire watch, on Thursday morning.
This includes the Oldfield Road fire in the Miramichi area that has been burning for over a week and currently encompasses 1,358 hectares.
The new out-of-control labels include a fire just northwest of the one in Miramichi near the old Heath Steele Mine, deemed the "Cheif's" fire, which encompasses 25 hectares and was detected around 3 p.m. Wednesday.
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One of the other out-of-control fires, added to the dashboard Thursday morning, is called Maple Glen, also west of Miramichi and northwest of Natoaganeg, or Eel Ground First Nation. It is listed as five hectares with 30 firefighters working to put it out, according to the government's wildfire reporting summary.
Another fire listed as out of control is called the Caché fire, at 0.1 hectares, and is just west of Bathurst. It was detected around 1 p.m. Wednesday.
The Irishtown fire near Moncton, which covered 45 hectares, has since been contained. Contained fires have barriers surrounding them, but are still burning on all or some edges, and have the potential to jump the barrier.
Four fires, indicated by red icons, were listed as out of control, on the government's fire watch dashboard as of Thursday morning. (Government of New Brunswick)
As of Thursday, there is no longer an Environment Canada heat warning in effect, but the province has been seeing temperatures in the low to high 30s for the last number of days, with humidex values in the 40s.
But the Acadian Peninsula, the Miramichi area and Moncton area all have special weather statements in effect for air quality. The statements suggest people keep windows and doors closed and reduce exposure to wildfire smoke by wearing a respirator mask when outdoors.
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According to CBC meteorologist Tina Simpkin, New Brunswick has a chance of showers Thursday with a risk of thunderstorms. Temperatures could range from 21 C along the coast to 29 C inland.
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This article, was originally published for CBC News
Thumbnail image courtesy: Pierre Fournier/CBC