Newfoundland and Labrador’s Minister of Public Safety John Haggie has announced a regional state of emergency in the Bay de Verde Peninsula, north of Bristol’s Hope and Whiteway.
The province had seven active fires as of Aug. 9, with two of those being classified as out-of-control, and nearly 3,000 people were under evacuation orders, Premier John Hogan said during an Aug. 9 news conference.
Hogan said the province was expecting 20 firefighters from Ontario to arrive, and that the Canadian Coast Guard helicopters were in use. He also noted the Canadian Armed Forces were preparing for deployment.
“Collectively, the support has more than doubled our fire suppression efforts, and it also helps to provide a breather for the hard-working crew and the volunteers who have been working intensely over the last week,” he said during the news conference….