Raging wildfires force several Avalon communities to evacuate, others on alert

Wildfires burning out of control on Newfoundland's Avalon Peninsula have forced hundreds of people from several communities to flee their homes and others to be ready to leave if the call comes.

On Monday, residents in the Conception Bay North communities of Small Point–Adam's Cove–Blackhead–Broad Cove and Kingston were told to evacuate due to a burning wildfire near Kingston. Then, around 11:30 p.m., the town of Western Bay was told to evacuate, with the people in nearby Ochre Pit Cove being told to get ready to flee if necessary.

A new fire near Holyrood prompted partial evacuation of residents, and the Town of Conception Bay South also evacuated the area of the Conception Bay Highway west of Seal Cove Road. 

"We've had an interesting fire season, to say the least," provincial fire duty officer Jeff Motty told CBC Radio's The St. John's Morning Show on Tuesday.

On Tuesday afternoon, Premier John Hogan said the fire had doubled overnight to more than 700 hectares.

Crews were fighting the fire until late on Monday and he said they had hoped to see a break in fire behaviour in the evening due to increased humidity, but instead there was increased fire behaviour around 7:30.

"We've seen drought-like conditions since the start of the season and we started our season early," said Motty, pointing to the fire in May that forced an evacuation of Adam's Cove residents and destroyed 12 homes and 45 other structures.

Motty said the plan for Tuesday morning is to assess the fire and determine the best way to fight it, adding they will have crews, water bombers and helicopters on the scene.

But he couldn't say if the fire had damaged anything in the communities.

Motty also said the fire's cause is currently under investigation, adding there's been lightning in the area but that fire can be human caused — possibly alluding to suspicions CBC News has reported from Conception Bay North residents who believe it could be arson.

"I'm not making a judgment call, one way or another," said Motty.

Motty said the two fires, one near Kingston and the other near Holyrood, are close enough they can share resources as needed.

He said as of Monday the Holyrood fire is 20 hectares in size and it is still burning out of control.

"That one there did jump up and it did burn quickly. At the point of mapping it was two kilometres long," he said.

Like with the Kingston fire, Motty said crews will be back on site early Tuesday to make a plan of attack.

Motty added it's too early to say when the evacuation order could be lifted in either fire area.

'More erratic'

The current dry conditions are also making the current fire fighting season challenging, said Motty.

"The lack of precipitation is definitely not helping. It's not only making it easier for fires to start, it's making fire behaviour more erratic."

Motty said people need to be vigilant and understand their responsibility to prevent wildfires from starting in the first place.

The provincial fire hazard map has the Avalon Peninsula between a very high and an extreme risk of fire, which puts a fire ban in effect in those regions.

Motty urged people to follow the fire bans, adding responding to "nuisance fires" takes resources away from fighting wildfires.

Meteorologist Justin Boudreau said there is some good news coming for firefighting conditions, as Tuesday's temperatures are expected to reach a high of 22 degrees, with a northeast wind shift in the afternoon which he said should bring temperatures down.

"Which should push the fire kind of back over itself," said Boudreau.

But he said the downside is that it's expected to blow the smoke back toward the land, adding there is an Environment Canada special air quality statement for St. John's and portions of the northern Avalon Peninsula.

Boudreau advised people impacted to reduce the time they spend outdoors.

Mark Ploughman, a councillor in Small Point–Adam's Cove–Blackhead–Broad Cove, said with two fires in the area, resources like the province's four water bombers could be stretched.

He said it was "gut wrenching" to get another call to evacuate the community.

"The fire was quite significant yesterday, and the conditions were perhaps significantly worse than they were in May for the Adam's Cove fire," he said.

He said a few structures have been destroyed by the Kingston fire but he didn't have an exact tally.

"Residents are on edge, you know, they're fearful," said Ploughman, "These are not naturally caused fires, you know? It's clearly an act of arson, so the town is quite tense."

He added the town is working with the RCMP to end it.

He said constantly being worried about fires is taking a toll on residents, particular older people in the communities.

He said Monday's evacuation went smoothly, and people were advised to register with the Canadian Red Cross at the reception centre at Persalvic School Complex in Victoria.

Ploughman said some people were able to find their own accommodations through friends and family.

"It's still an active, out-of-control wildfire and so we're going to be monitoring the situation with the provincial emergency services and the local fire chiefs," he said.

C.B.S. Mayor Darrin Bent said people are feeling anxious.

"I can assure the residents right now, there is no threat to structures at this point. The fire is in a way better place than it was yesterday afternoon when we saw billowing smoke," he said.

Bent estimates fewer than 20 homes have been evacuated but some households have left out of an abundance of caution.

The C.B.S. arena has been opened as an evacuation spot and Bent said he was there Monday evening and saw about 70 people there, mostly from Holyrood.

"We're hoping that water bombers will be back on site this morning to give this a final good go so that we don't have to worry as much about it."

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