Crews continue to battle out-of-control wildfires, but rainfall should help
A wildfire threatening a community in central Newfoundland has grown, but officials are optimistic forecasted rain and wind blowing in the right direction will help efforts to contain it.
In a lunch-hour statement issued Monday, the provincial government said the evacuation order for Musgrave Harbour is still in effect and the fire continues to burn approximately two kilometres from the town. It added the fire has grown to 1,800 hectares, an increase from the previous day's estimate of 1,700 hectares.
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"At this point in time, the Musgrave Harbour fire is showing minimal movement and unlikely to impact the town today. To date, the fire has not crossed the highway towards Banting Memorial Park," said the statement.
It added a drop in wind and humidity increase helped slow the wildfire's growth. Officials expect rain in the next 12 to 24 hours.
"Wildfire suppression ground resources and air support are actioning the fire including water bombers, three helicopters, a bird dog aircraft and crews."
Provincial fire duty officer Wes Morgan hopes forecasted rainfall will help suppression efforts for the fire near Musgrave Harbour and another near Chance Harbour, which is burning out of control on the Avalon Peninsula.
Provincial fire duty officer Wes Morgan is hoping rainfall will help with efforts to fight out of control fires. (Submitted by Peter Barfoot
The Musgrave Harbour blaze "is quite a large fire. It is one of the largest fires this year," he told CBC Monday.
But Morgan said the rate of the fire's spread has now slowed, and he expects precipitation to help firefighting efforts.
It's not clear yet, he added, whether any buildings or homes have been destroyed. He also can't say when people might be able to return to the community.
'This will continue'
Premier John Hogan visited evacuated residents in Gander Monday morning.
"This is certainly becoming the norm throughout the last couple of summers, and even more so this summer," he told CBC News.
While evacuees are calm and safe, they're still anxious to know how long the evacuation order will be in place, he said.
"We can replace things ... and we can replace homes, but we can't replace lives," Hogan said.
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"It's unfortunate that I think this will continue a little bit throughout the summer. We had a dry winter. We're having a hot summer. But Newfoundlanders and Labradorians will be there for each other."
According to the provincial wildfire dashboard, as of Monday morning there are six fires burning across Newfoundland and Labrador, two of which are listed as under control. One is held and three are burning out of control, including the Musgrave Harbour and Chance Harbour fires. The other fire burning out of control is the Winokapu fire in Labrador.
The Chance Harbour wildfire, which ignited on July 14, has now burned through 1,800 hectares, said Morgan.
"That spread was mostly due to the dryness in the area, and there was some backburning even though the prevailing winds have been southerly," he said.
He also hopes rainfall will help suppress the fire there.
Despite the number of fires still burning across the province, he said morale is still strong among firefighters.
"I met with firefighters firsthand earlier this morning and their spirits are doing well. They're doing good and they're out and seem to be very positive," said Morgan.
Mike Barry, an emergency disaster services specialist for the Salvation Army, said he's been helping offer meals and emotional and spiritual support for evacuated Musgrave Harbour residents now in Gander.
"Most people that we've had, they didn't have to stay in the shelter. They've been put up by friends and family. They've dispersed throughout the island," Barry told CBC News.
He added many had to pack up and leave town quickly as the fire spread.
"They're a little stressed, as you would think," he said, pointing out that this is the third evacuation this year due to wildfires — "unheard of" in the region.
'A pile of ashes'
Jack Pinsent, an evacuee, said he could see the fire across the lake from his home and knew he'd have to leave.
"What I saw was fire all around me and people panicking, moving everything they could move," said Pinsent.
He travelled to Gander on Sunday and is staying in a hotel, but expects he won't be allowed to return home for the next few days.
In the meantime, he's thinking about what might happen to his home.
"I'm expecting, possibly, to go home to a pile of ashes," said Pinsent.
'Mixed emotions'
Evelyn Jess was camping in Jonathan's Pond over the weekend when she heard of the Musgrave Harbour's evacuation. She instantly worried about her parents, who were in the community.
"I didn't hear of any fires happening the night before, even though the fire had started that night and residents were kind of on alert," she said.
Jess said campers alerted of the evacuation by an alarm on their phones.
Musgrave Harbour evacuees were advised to go to a reception centre in Gander at the Steele Memorial Centre on 155 Airport Boulevard, where the Canadian Red Cross will be registering people.
Jess said she and her family were able to meet up but by Monday morning she was feeling "mixed emotions."
"It has definitely been a very interesting 24 hours. But you know, I've got a great support system," said Jess.
The community is coming together to support one another while the fire continues to burn, she said.
This article, written by Elizabeth Whitten, was originally published for CBC News. With files from The St. John’s Morning Show and Henrike Wilhelm.