N.B. allows some business operations to resume on Crown lands
Some businesses will be allowed back on to Crown land in New Brunswick as 28 active wildfires continue to burn.
The province says the move comes with strict conditions, and businesses will be required to get a permit from the government to go back into the woods.
Five wildfires were listed as out of control Tuesday evening.
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"To ensure ongoing operations of the forestry sector, specific activities with appropriate conditions to mitigate fire and safety risks will be permitted," the Department of Natural Resources said in a news release.
The activities that are now permitted and the areas where they're permitted were not defined.
But the release said no activity will be allowed in an active fire zone, and companies must follow rules about such things as location, fire-watch safety and hours of operation. For instance, tree planting can take place only between 8 p.m. and 10 a.m.
Campfires, ATVs still banned
"We have struck the right balance between assisting these companies and protecting our forests," Natural Resources Minister John Herron said in the release.
Though some industry will be allowed to resume on Crown land, restrictions on other activities, such as recreation, campfires, and the use of all-terrain vehicles, remain in place.
Four of the province's fires are being monitored as out-of-control fires that aren't "immediately threatening life or infrastructure," and are being watched by aircraft with no firefighting resources assigned.
Herron told reporters Monday that the province isn't out of danger yet, despite the reduction in active fires.
The Beaver Lake Stream wildfire, in Northumberland County near Kennedy Lakes Protected Natural Area, remains the province's largest out-of-control blaze.
Herron said the fire is in a remote area.
"It is very ... removed from people, also road infrastructure. It's going to be very challenging to get the assets we need to wrestle that fire down," he said Monday.
In an update earlier this week, Natural Resources Minister John Herron said cooler temperatures and rain have helped firefighting efforts. (Silas Brown/CBC)
Water bombers and 40 highly trained firefighters from Ontario have been tasked with fighting that fire.
The province downgraded the size of the Beaver Lake Stream fire yesterday from 650 hectares to 238 hectares.
The Lovalls Lake fire, which was 120 hectares in size Monday, is still out of control and is listed as 3.7 hectares as of Tuesday morning. That fire is burning about 30 kilometres southwest of Bathurst.
Danny Goddard, a wildfire behaviour specialist for the province, said the size of fires can be tricky to judge, which can result in dramatic changes such as happened with the Beaver Lake Stream fire.
"When a fire is moving it has a huge smoke column," said Goddard, who is in charge of tactics and managing resources for the province's firefighting efforts. "To try and get around it with a helicopter is very difficult and sometimes the column is bent over from the wind and we can't see the actual perimeter."
A better estimate of a fire's size can be made once it calms down and helicopters can see the whole perimeter.
A large column of smoke, like this one coming from the Oldfield Road fire on Aug. 11, can make it difficult to estimate a fire's size. (Government of New Brunswick)
Goddard said projections are being made every day to determine how fires are likely to move.
The Chief's fire in Northumberland County is still out of control and remains at 218 hectares.
The Rocky Brook fire, previously named the Jacquet River fire in Restigouche County, is also out of control at just over 184 hectares.
Herron said Monday the province was uncomfortable with the Hell's Gate fire location near Kouchibouguac National Park. That fire is now contained.
The Jacquet River PNA fire, also in Restigouche County, is one-tenth of a hectare and is being patrolled.
Miramichi-area fire contained
The province announced Monday afternoon that firefighters brought the long-burning Oldfield Road fire under control and it is now contained.
The fire is still just over 1,400 hectares and was first detected on Aug. 6.
Miramichi East MLA Michelle Conroy said that the area got "a few hours" of rain this weekend, which along with firefighting efforts brought down the fire's intensity.
Herron said rain and cooler temperatures have bought firefighters time, as the forest floor is no longer tinder-dry.
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"Now we've got a bit of moisture on the floor of the forest. Helpful. And we now have cooler temperatures that is helpful for us to be able to fight fires in a better environment. Also the humidity is up," said Herron.
The province said in the update Monday that despite those showers, the wildfire danger remains high.
Cooler temperatures descended across the province Tuesday. The Wednesday forecast is for a mix of sun and cloud with a chance of showers in the afternoon. Highs are expected to range from 18 C along the coast to 26 C inland.
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Thumbnail courtesy of the Government of New Brunswick via CBC.
This article was originally written by Oliver Pearson and published for CBC News. With files from Victoria Walton