Fire crews have been kept busy over the last day or so battling two wildfires that have forced the evacuation of residents from several areas. The fire burning near Kingston grew in size yesterday evening, prompting officials to extend the evacuation order to the town of Western Bay. Residents of Ochre Pit Cove have been put on an evacuation alert, meaning they should be prepared to leave at a moments notice. Fire Duty Officer Jeff Motty says the fire’s growth yesterday evening took crews by surprise because that time of day is usually where crews would see an increase in relative humidity, which would help with suppression efforts. They are saying the fire is about 258 hectares, but Motty notes the fire is larger than that – they just can’t accurately map it because of heavy smoke.

Additional coverage from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador: Update on Wildfires on Avalon Peninsula