Wednesday, July 27, 2022

2022 wild fire season: forest fires in Newfoundland (July 27)

I am writing to follow-up on my July 25th post where I referenced some forest fires that are still currently burning in Newfoundland and the use of CL-415 water bombers on some of the wildfires. 

According to this July 27th tweet from the Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture NL, the Bay D'Espoir Highway which is the only road in and out of the  Cannaigre Peninsula in Newfoundland. The highway was reopened with some intermittent closures during daylight hours yesterday. So it would seem that folk on the Cannaigre Peninsula, residents and visitors, were able to get off of the peninsula by the highway. 

I obtained fire information from the Active Forest Fires page (appears to be updated daily) of the Newfoundland Labrador Department of Fisheries Forestry and Agriculture, they also have a twitter account which may be found here. The other currently burning 2022 forest fires listed on the Active Forest Fires page are, fires that are under control or partially contained are noted:

  • Fire 135, Conway Lake reported on July 23, 0.4 hectares (under control)
  • Fire 136 Paradise Lake reported on July 24 , 826 hectares
  • Fire 137 Triton Brook/Deer Pond reported on July 24, 19.0 hectares
  • Fire 138 Newton Lake reported on July 24, 59 hectares (50% contained)
  • Fire 139 Bay d'Espoir Highway reported on July 24, 751 hectares
  • Fire 140 Newton Lake West reported on July 25, 3.5 hectares (40% contained)
For more information read the CBC's July 27th report on these forest fires, I was interested that the CBC reported on the status of medical care on the peninsula:
The fire has also cut people off from medical care at the hospital in Grand Falls-Windsor. In an email, Central Health says the air ambulance was used once during the highway closure but wouldn't say how many patients were flown out of the area because a spokesperson said they 'can't speak to any details around patients.'

There is currently no doctor at the peninsula's heath centre due to staffing shortages. In a posting to its website, Central Health said the emergency room is closed until Thursday at 8 a.m. NT. The health authority had offered a virtual emergency room during the road closure.



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