N.L. Premier John Hogan provides update on wildfires

N.L. Regime updating position of wildfires

premiere king john Hogan will be providing an update on the status of wildfires at 1:00 p.m., Saturday.

As fire suppression support comes in from Quebec and Ontario to fight three out of control wildfires across N.L., some Holyrood residents can head back home. 

Two water bombers and a Bird Dog aircraft from Quebec are expected to arrive at 6:00 p.m. Saturday, says N.L. Fire Duty officer Mark Lawlor. 

The province also says 20 firefighters from Ontario will be arriving throughout the day Saturday. 

In a post on social media Saturday morning, the Town of Small Point–Adam's Cove–Blackhead–Broad Cove says the size of the fire has grown to 3,001 hectares. 

The town says personnel from the Canadian Armed Forces and Ground Search and Rescue are arriving Saturday. 

Throughout the day Friday, the province says the lack of wind supported efforts on the fire. Four water bombers, three helicopters and ground crews attacked the fire throughout the day. 

Lawlor says fire crews worked the fire's southern end and around the communities. They also started building a fire guard on the fire's northern flank. Crews will continue this work throughout the day Saturday. 

Evacuation orders remain in Small Point–Adam's Cove–Blackhead–Broad Cove, Western Bay, Salmon Cove, Kingston, Perry's Cove and Ochre Pit Cove. The town of Victoria remains under evacuation alert.

Small Point–Adam's Cove–Blackhead–Broad Cove Mayor, Curtis Delaney, confirmed Saturday morning that nine homes have been destroyed by the fire. 

Delaney says property owners have been notified and couldn't confirm which communities saw property damage. 

And, Delaney says things could still change. 

"This is still a very dangerous situation, very volatile," he said. 

Friday evening, some Holyrood residents were allowed back home, as the evacuation order from 377 Conception Bay Highway to 103 Conception Bay South Highway, by Murray's Peak Hiking Trail, has now ended.

Conception Bay South Mayor Darrin Bent, said it was great to hear that a large portion of Holyrood could return home, Friday. 

"That was absolutely fantastic news," he said. 

Bent says around 100 people in Holyrood and around 15 to 20 homes in C.B.S., near the area where the fire first began, remain evacuated.

Still, the province says there has been progress toward suppressing the Holyrood wildfire. Throughout the day Friday, crews hosed around the fire, containing its growth and allowing for more hot spot work, says the province. 

The Holyrood fire remains approximately 22 hectares, but Lawlor says that there was no open flame on Friday. 

Lawlor said that fire is now just hotspots and ground crews and a helicopter continue to work on it. 

"That's some good progress on that fire yesterday," said Lawlor on Saturday. 

The province says the plan for Saturday is to continue with suppression and helicopter bucketing when needed. 

The Martin Lake fire also still burns near the Bay D'Espoir highway, and cabins in the area remain evacuated. 

Lawlor says an air tanker, helicopter and three planes from New Brunswick, plus ground crews, worked the fire Friday. 

While there are a lot of hot spots, he says there was minimal growth on Friday.

Crews also started a fire guard that made good progress, said Lawlor. 

Hot temperatures and increasing winds over the weekend are anticipated to make for taxing conditions as fire suppression efforts continue.

"It's going to be a difficult weekend on the firefighters, but however we're hopeful we can keep those fires contained with the resources we have and the resources that are coming in," said Lawlor. 

Lawlor is also urging people to not have backyard or camp fires over the weekend, and says they're still getting reports of people having open fires. 

"I can't stress enough, especially given the hot, dry conditions we're experiencing right now. No open fires," he said. 

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