Moncton-area fire contained, while Miramichi blaze 'beyond control'
Minister says 'arduous' conditions have sent 3 firefighters to hospital for heat exhaustion
There's "a tale of two fires" playing out in New Brunswick, Premier Susan Holt said Wednesday, as one major wildfire was contained and another was deemed beyond control.
The province announced the 115 Pit fire near Moncton, also called the Irishtown fire, was contained at 45 hectares on Wednesday evening.
The Oldfield Road fire, about 15 kilometres north of Miramichi, remains listed as out of control.
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An evacuation advisory, meaning residents should be ready to evacuate on short notice, was still listed on the province's fire watch page for the Irishtown, Tankville, Evangeline and Lakeville areas.
To date, no structures have been reported lost in any of the wildfires.
The Oldfield Road fire, about 15 kilometres from Miramichi, has been burning for one week and continues to grow — sitting at 1,358 hectares as of Wednesday afternoon.
Natural Resources Minister John Herron said the blaze is "beyond control," and rainfall will be necessary to change that.
"The best we can do is steer the trajectory of the fire," he said.
(Government of New Brunswick via CBC)
"What is it going to take? It's going to require help from the skies. And then, us being as proactive as we have been at stopping new fires, so that when we have that window of opportunity, when things get dampened, we need to go at it."
3 firefighters sent to hospital
Herron said the conditions have been difficult for those on the front line. Over the past few days, three firefighters have been treated in hospital for heat exhaustion.
"I'm pleased to say that everything is tracking in a good direction with them," Herron said. "It's tough work."
The province was reporting 133 firefighters deployed as of Wednesday afternoon.
Herron said the province requested 60 additional firefighters from other jurisdictions, and so far 30 out-of-province firefighters have been secured.
"The country, but clearly the region, we seem to be all challenged with requiring added resources," Herron said. "We're all trying to figure this out together."
New Brunswick and other regions in Canada have endured hot and dry conditions over the last several days.
Eleven places in New Brunswick set temperature records on Tuesday, according to Environment Canada.
(Government of New Brunswick via CBC)
But the province is also warning that thunderstorms forecast for some parts of the New Brunswick this evening bring a risk of fire from lightning strikes.
There's also some rain in the forecast, but Herron said the amount matters.
"Five millimetres of rain, that kind of buys you a day. If you get 10 millimetres of rain, you kind of get two. If you get 50 millimetres of rain, you're kind of getting it back in the game."
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New exceptions for industry
Because of the extreme wildfire risk, all regions in New Brunswick are still closed for burning, and Crown land is closed for outdoor activities. That means no fishing, camping or hiking, and no vehicles in the woods.
Trail systems are also closed, and camping is only allowed in campgrounds.
But on Wednesday the province introduced some new exceptions to the ban on industrial activity on Crown land.
Forestry work that includes harvesting, forwarding, skidding, scarification, chipping and all pre-commercial thinning and cleaning are still not allowed.
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But Herron said some forestry operations will be allowed to resume on Wednesday or Thursday night under certain conditions.
"For instance, peat piles may be reduced since they can cause a fire hazard," a news release said. "As well, if a mill has less than a five-day supply of harvested trees, trucks will be allowed to go into the woods to get that supply."
Blueberry harvesters will also be allowed to work under certain circumstances.
"Blueberries on Crown land may be harvested, but all permitted activities must meet specific conditions, such as working at night and with firefighting equipment on site."
Fires in several regions
A wildfire near the Bathurst Mines was considered out of control but on Tuesday was contained.
On Tuesday evening, the Oromocto Fire Department said it was called to the scene of a wildfire near Honeywood Drive, about 20 kilometres from Fredericton.
Firefighters extinguished the blaze quickly with the help of neighbouring stations, the fire department said in a statement.
According to an update from spokesperson Nick Brown of the Department of Natural Resources, six new fires started on Tuesday. Two helicopters have also been added, for a total of three in service.
Brown said people who could be affected should have a kit with supplies for 72 hours, including basics such as water, food, a flashlight, a radio, batteries, a first aid kit, masks for smoke filtration, prescription medications, pet food and cash.
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This article, written by Savannah Awde, was originally published for CBC News
Thumbnail image courtesy: Government of New Brunswick via CBC