NL Residents Advised to Exercise Extreme Caution When Using Fire

Residents of Newfoundland and Labrador are reminded to be extremely cautious when using fire.

The Department of Fisheries and Land Resources has received reports of 31 fires on the island portion of the province since forest fire season came into effect on May 1 – more than double the number of fires reported during the same period in 2018.

Under the Forestry Act, a permit to burn is required to burn brush on forested land or within 300 metres of forest land during this forest fire season, in effect from May 1 to September 30 (May 15 to September 30 in Labrador).

With more than 80 per cent of wildfires being human caused, extreme caution is advised relating to spring burning and use of vehicles or forestry equipment near forested land.