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Fire is still three to four kilometres from town.
Rainfall, humidity and lower temperatures have teamed up to tone down dramatically the threat that an out-of-control forest fire in central Labrador has posed to one of North America’s largest power plants.
Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey said that the Churchill Falls fire has been downgraded to Level 1, a significant drop from the Level 5 and Level 6 categories from earlier this week, when managers fully evacuated the Upper Churchill hydroelectric power plant.
About 750 people were ordered on June 19 to flee Churchill Falls, a company town that exists to keep Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro’s generating station running.
On Tuesday, the fire had jumped the Churchill River — which had been acting as a natural barrier keeping the flames from reaching the town — and prompted an order for the final workers to leave.
While the fire has forced workers off-site, the plant is still operating with reduced function. It is being monitored remotely, with some limited operations can be done from other locations.
Furey on Wednesday night posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that Wednesday’s weather had a positive impact in efforts to fight the fire and it was now a Level one fire.
“Crews continue monitoring the situation, as [N.L. Hydro] works to protect the power supply and support employees through this difficult time,” he wrote.
Under the highest categorizations, water bombers are unable to fly safely — which happened on Tuesday, which only compounded attack efforts to rein the fire in.
Lower categorizations, such as 2 and 3, indicate there are open flames and hot spots.
Provincial forest fire duty officer Mark Lawlor said Wednesday’s rainfall amounted to 11 millimetres.
Due to smoky conditions on Wednesday, crews could not use water bombers in the air but did use helicopters.
Lawlor said Thursday morning the fire is currently three to four kilometres away from Churchill Falls.
When crews left the area Wednesday night, he said, there were only smouldering ground fires and no open flames.
“[It] should be a very good day for our people on the ground in Churchill Falls,” Lawlor told CBC News Thursday morning.
Thursday’s plan to attack the fire will include helicopters, water bombers and ground crews, he said.
Cooler and wetter weather ahead
Environment Canada meteorologist Rodney Barney said temperatures in the area Thursday should be cooler and damp, adding that the breakfast-time temperature was around 5 C. The wind is anticipated to blow lightly in a northeast direction, blowing smoke away from the community.
The rainfall that dropped in the preceding day was also good news, he said. “That, combined with the cooler temperatures, higher relative humidity …all would be in favour of suppressing any activity, certainly, as we go forward,” Barney told Labrador Morning.
In the next few days, the weather is expected to be cooler and damper. Next week, however, the forecast calls for a return of warmer and drier temperatures, Barney said.
Lawlor is also optimistic about the weather heading into the weekend.
“Given the current forecast, it will really help us,” Lawlor said.
Lawlor deferred questions Thursday about the power plant’s status to Hydro, but said he believed it was still operational. On Wednesday, some essential workers were on site but they were commuting from Happy Valley-Goose Bay, a drive of about 290 kilometres, and he couldn’t say when they could return permanently.
According to Newfoundland and Labrador’s wildfire dashboard, there are now 10 fires burning in Labrador — up one from Wednesday morning’s count. That fire started on June 25 at Grand Lake but it is listed as under control.
The two fires threatening Churchill Falls continue to burn, with the Mount Hyde Lake fire — which is the one most concerning to the town — still listed as out of control. A fire near Twin Falls is being held.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Furey said fires had not reached the town’s perimeters.
Prepare for power outages
The fire has also affected power supply to customers. Parts of Labrador West were without power Tuesday after dropped water tripped power lines at Churchill Falls.
Power has now been restored to all customers in Labrador City but Hydro’s website still lists one unplanned power outage. With the exception of data centres and the landfill, customers’ power in Wabush had been restored, said the statement.
“Most customers have been restored. There continues to be a risk of outages for all customers in Labrador while active fires continue to burn near transmission lines in both Labrador and Quebec,” said Hydro’s statement, posted on its website early Wednesday evening.
“Our teams are taking actions to minimize the risk of outages where possible.”
It added there is still a risk for more power outages for Labrador. Hydro is asking customers to conserve energy.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Elizabeth Whitten is a journalist and editor based in St. John’s.
With files from Peter Cowan and Labrador Morning
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Credit belongs to : www.cbc.ca
