Police investigating wildfires as evacuation orders expand across Conception Bay

Police are investigating a string of wildfires that have taken place in the Conception Bay North community of Small Point-Adam's Cove-Blackhead-Broad Cove, dating back to May.

Officers in the Trinity-Conception area are working with the RCMP's East District General Investigation Section, Major Crimes Unit and Tactical Support Group.

Harbour Grace RCMP officers are investigating smaller brush fires that took place earlier this summer. 

RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Jesse O'Donaghey said violating a fire ban can result in a fine of no less than $1,000.

The provincial government is expanding evacuation orders on the Avalon Peninsula, as two wildfires continue to rage, driving people from their homes. 

In a news release sent Tuesday afternoon, "due to changes in fire behaviour and wind predictions," the province issued an immediate evacuation order for sections of the Town of Holyrood stretching from the town boundary in the northeast, south down to the Irving Gas Station on the Conception Bay Highway.

Public Safety also ordered people in Perry's Cove — about six kilometres south of Kingston — to flee south on Route 70 to the Persalvic School Complex in Victoria, where they can register with the Canadian Red Cross. 

The government also issued an evacuation alert for people in Salmon Cove, further south. 

Burry Heights Campground, a children's camp on Salmonier Line, is also evacuating.

The camp will sign out its campers at 4:45 p.m. NT and will remain closed until the fire is contained.

Earlier Tuesday, several vehicles had pulled up to a barricade near Perry's Cove, to ask RCMP officers stationed there whether they could check on their homes. 

Like many others from the evacuated communities in the area, the people were desperate for information on whether or not their properties were still standing.

Down the road in Victoria, a police officer arrived at the evacuation centre and shared videos of the town with several residents, who appeared relieved to see their homes unscathed.

But officials still don't know what the raging wildfire has destroyed — only that it has taken some buildings. 

"There's still a number of spots we haven't been able to get into to assess the damage," said North Shore Volunteer Fire Department Chief Roger Gillingham.

Premier John Hogan echoed that at a news conference held at noon on Tuesday, where he told reporters he could confirm the Kingston fire destroyed structures overnight, which he said wasn't surprising seeing as it had grown to 735 hectares.

At the same news conference, the Newfoundland and Labrador government issued a provincewide fire ban as two out-of-control wildfires on the island's Avalon Peninsula continue to burn and threaten more evacuations.

Forestry Minister Lisa Dempster called this summer "a fire season like no other," and the number of wildfires so far this year — 192 according to government data — is putting a lot of stress on communities, provincial services and the environment.

"A provincewide fire ban helps reduce the risk of wildfires and supports our efforts of suppression," Dempster told reporters.

Dempster, who attended the meeting virtually, said the ban is in place until Sept. 7, and will be revisited at that time.

Evening update

Newfoundland and Labrador is availing of fire resources from New Brunswick to help tackle three out-of-control wildfires burning on the island on Tuesday, says fire protection supervisor Jeff Motty.

Shortly after 5 p.m. NT, Motty told CBC News the largest fire, near Kingston in Conception Bay North, has grown since its initial measurement on Tuesday morning.

"The last time that was mapped, it was 721 hectares, but that one's larger than that now. Again, it's kicking up too much smoke to get an accurate figure," Motty said.

In a social media post around 7:00 p.m. N.T. on Tuesday, Newfoundland Power advised that power has been shut down in the areas from Perry's Cove to the end of Adam's Cove to support the wildfire response. 

The second fire on the Avalon Peninsula is in Holyrood, which borders the town of Conception Bay South.

Motty said water bombers have prevented that fire from growing, and it sits at around 22 hectares.

"We've been holding that one today with air support," he said.

The evacuation zone in Holyrood was expanded on Tuesday afternoon.

Motty said fire science was behind the decision as fire behaviour analysts projected the fire could grow.

A third fire cropped up in central Newfoundland on Tuesday near the Bay d'Espoir Highway.

Motty said helicopters and ground crews are on scene there.

Throughout Tuesday, two more fires were reported and subsequently put out, Motty said.

He said, Holyrood is consuming the majority of aerial resources at the moment, but calls are in for additional resources.

"As we deplete our resources, we just reach out to our neighbouring provinces and partners and just bolster our resources to help max out the demand," Motty said.

There have been 198 wildfires in Newfoundland and Labrador so far this year. Motty said, this time last year, there were only 58.

He expects conditions to worsen through Tuesday night as hot and dry temperatures continue.

'Historic numbers'

Speaking on two wildfires earlier on Tuesday — one near Kingston and the other near Holyrood, which have prompted hundreds of people to evacuate this week — Hogan said he understands it's a difficult time for impacted residents.

"No doubt it is a very serious situation," he said.

Hogan asked residents across the province to be diligent about accidentally starting fires while in wooded areas, including when driving ATVs and using chainsaws.

"It's no secret this has been an unbelievable, historic, dry season on the island, which is one of the major reasons we're seeing the abundance of forest fires," Hogan said. 

"We can't control mother nature of course but we can control what we're doing."

The nearly 200 wildfires this summer have burned roughly 8,400 hectares of land across Newfoundland and Labrador.

Hogan called it "historic numbers."

He said forestry crews are holding the line, but the fire burned aggressively through the night. He said it burned along Adam's Cove and Small Point.

That fire remains very active, and two water bombers, a helicopter and bird dog are on the scene on Tuesday, plus ground crews.

Hogan said the focus is on protecting structures in the communities and suppression efforts on the south edge — along the highway — to prevent the fire from growing in that direction.

He said there was no overnight growth on the fire near Holyrood, which is 22 hectares in size, and ground crews will work on hot spots throughout Tuesday by dropping buckets from helicopters.

"We continue to make good progress on this fire," Hogan said, adding there's no report of structures having been destroyed.

Residents in Conception Bay North have told CBC News they suspect recent fires in the area weren't caused by nature.

RCMP Chief Supt. Pamela Robinson said residents feel anxious, but investigations are ongoing.

"I need to stress that we cannot investigate what is not reported," she said.

Even if people are able to put out a small brush fire, she urged them to report it.

Robinson said fire investigations are very complex and take time, and can be complicated further by evacuations.

She asked people with information, including about suspicious activity, to contact the local police department.

"Our communities are close-knit and information and rumours can spread very quickly, which then in turn, turn into fear and frustration," she said.

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