LABRADOR CITY, N.L. — Firefighters began attacking a fire near Labrador City from the ground Thursday, marking a new stage in the effort to get the roaring wildfire under control. Crews have been dousing the flames from above using water bombers and helicopters, but Jeff Motty, the province’s forest fire duty officer, said adding a ground attack is an important step forward in the battle against any forest fire. “Once it’s safe for us to put firefighters on the ground, that’s how a fire actually gets put out,” he said in an interview. “It’s the boots on the ground that ultimately put the fires out.” Labrador City is home to more than 7,000 people and they were ordered to evacuate last week after a sudden shift in conditions sent the once-smouldering fire roaring back to life and moving quickly toward the town.