Preparing for Atlantic Canadian wildfires

NL residents experienced what provinces like BC and Alberta have been dealing with for years in 2025: multiple catastrophic wildfires.

The Kingston, Martin Lake, and Paddy’s Pond fires were the big stories of the year, but a 1,200-hectare fire in Chance Harbour on July 14 also made headlines.

A fire in Adam’s Cove also destroyed multiple homes in May 2025, while another fire threatened Badger in June.

The fires were particularly challenging for a province like NL, given its many unincorporated communities.

While Conception Bay North residents were concerned about a delayed response to fighting the fire, then-Premier John Hogan and his team were largely praised for their response, which included a province-wide fire ban on Aug. 5, relief payments, and a coordinated effort with municipalities, the federal government, and Canadian Armed Forces, among other organizations to fight the wildfires themselves as well as assist in recovery.

Use of three Air Tractor 802s, two additional water bombers and a bird dog aircraft were tapped to assist with firefighting efforts.

In total, 3,324 wildfire victims received payments from the government, and 3,590 people registered with the Canadian Red Cross for reasons related to the fires.

Conception Bay North hit the hardest

The Kingston fire left a path of destruction in Conception Bay North, blackening huge swaths of forest, including this whole hillside.

The Conception Bay North (CBN) region experienced, by far, the largest wildfire on the island in 2025. Dubbed the Kingston fire for where it broke out, the fire peaked at 10,708 hectares — the equivalent size of 26,770 football fields.

Combined with the Small Point-Adam’s Cove-Blackhead-Broad Cove fire in May, 248 structures in total were damaged or destroyed.

The region is still early in the recovery process, with many residents waiting on assistance and still undecided on whether to rebuild their homes or move out of the area.

One of the eye-opening lessons from the Kingston fire for Disaster Recovery Committee (DRC) chairperson Stella Johnson was the importance of communication and how lacking it is in CBN.

“Cell coverage during the fires — (it) was so important that people could keep in touch, or even when they were being evacuated,” she explained. “Some people didn’t even know they were going to be evacuated because they didn’t have any cell coverage.”

A lack of civic addresses has also proven to be an issue with regard to emergency services as well. In previous years, when someone called 9-1-1, they would speak to someone in Western Bay or Old Perlican, for example, who would know the area and everyone that lived in it, making it easy for ambulances to find them.

That’s not the case anymore with a centralized service.

“You get the nearest available ambulance that’s available,” she said. “That could be someone over in Whitbourne or anywhere around. They come here, not their fault, but they can’t find where the place is that they’re supposed to go.”

Johnson hopes that if there is another wildfire in the area, the province is quicker and more efficient in responding. The fire started small, she points out, and believes that its spread was entirely preventable, even accounting for the Paddy’s Pond fire that was burning at the same time just outside of St. John’s.

In mid-December, Premier Tony Wakeham reaffirmed his commitment to the region, assuring residents that they would not have to go it alone.

In late 2025, the provincial government formed the Cabinet Committee for CBN Response and Recovery, which visited the area on Jan. 8. What will come from the committee remains to be seen. The Telegram requested an interview on Jan. 9 with Justice Minister Helen Conway Ottenheimer, which has not yet been granted.

Meanwhile, Department of Forestry Minister Pleaman Forsey told The Telegram there’s no difference for his department on how an unincorporated area is treated versus a municipality.

“We respond to forest fires wherever and whenever they occur,” he said. “We have a base coming out of Gander where we’re centralized, with the aerial supports and stuff, and we’re ready to respond at any time. We’ll get out to whatever areas (where) forest fires are happening, and we’ll certainly be making quick responses to that area.”

The ruins of Cabot Academy sit in a jumbled pile after the school was destroyed in the Kingston fire.

A look back at the fires impacting the Conception Bay North area

• May 7: A state of emergency is declared for Small Point-Adam’s Cove-Blackhead-Broad Cove, with an evacuation ordered for part of the area, after a fire broke out.
• May 8: A full evacuation is ordered for Small Point-Adam’s Cove-Blackhead-Broad Cove and a portion of Western Bay. The fire was categorized as ‘held’ at 600 hectares, before shrinking to 501 hectares in the afternoon. A total of 200 people were evacuated. The NL Farmher offered their farm to animals and campers without a place to go, while the Salem Community Centre in Small Point is made available to residents in need. Fog delayed water bombers until mid-morning, after which helicopters and ground firefighters took over. The Department of Health urged residents to wear N95 masks to avoid health issues due to air quality reduction. Over 45 buildings were damaged or destroyed, including 12 homes.
• Aug. 4: Evacuation ordered for Kingston, Western Bay, and Small Point-Adam’s Cove-Blackhead-Broad Cove due to the Kingston fire. Wildfire behaviour was described as “extreme” and power was shut off from Kingston to the end of Adam’s Cove to support the wildfire response. Over the next week, a fire break was partially constructed on Clifty Pond Road before relocation was forced further north. The fire break helped slow the fire.
• Aug. 5: Evacuation ordered for Ochre Pit Cove, Salmon Cove, and Perry’s Cove. The Kingston fire tripled in size overnight to 735 hectares. Meanwhile, a fire in Martin Lake prompted evacuations from cabins in the area around the central NL fire.
• Aug. 7: Kingston fire grew to 2,175 hectares. Evacuations were ordered for Victoria. The province’s request for federal assistance was granted; the Canadian Armed Forces provided immediate wildfire assistance.
• Aug. 9: Evacuation ordered for Burnt Point-Gull Island-Northern Bay. The Kingston fire continued to grow.
• Aug. 11: The Kingston fire grew to 5,236 hectares, although growth had slowed, and destroyed more homes as it reached Ochre Pit Cove. Water bombers got to work on the northern edge of the fire near Western Bay while a fire break near Salmon Cove and Victoria was expanded.
• Aug. 12: Kingston fires grew to over 6,300 hectares. A fuel break is built in Northern Bay (the third attempt), with more progress on the southern boundary of the fire. Ground and air crews and fire departments continued to fight the fires. Resources are moved between Paddy’s Pond and Kingston wildfires as needed as they are less than 100 kilometres apart.
• Aug. 14: Kingston fire grew to 8,019 hectares and destroyed an estimated 100 homes. Job’s Cove evacuation alert issued.
• Aug. 15: The Kingston fire grew to over 9,100 hectares. More homes and the Cabot Academy elementary school were destroyed.
• Aug. 16: Evacuation alert issued for Freshwater (near Carbonear). An air quality alert was issued as smoke moved into Victoria, Carbonear, and other nearby areas.
• Aug. 19: It’s announced the Kingston fire had destroyed 203 structures, government reported. The size of the fire increased to 10,708 hectares.
• Aug. 27: Provincial government announces additional payments for those who lost homes in CBN.
• Aug. 30: Kingston fire classified as under control. All evacuation orders lifted.

Martin Lake wildfire second-largest in NL

Smoke from the Martin’s Lake fire is heavy over the water near Grand Falls-Windsor.The Martin Lake wildfire in central NL came in at approximately one-fifth the size of the Kingston fire, peaking at 2,160 hectares, but it was still the second-largest in the province in 2025.

A close call came for Zack Martin and his fiancée Jessica Green, whose cabin in the area was narrowly saved by firefighters — a rare photo captured the moments just before the nearby blaze was put out.

Jessica Green shared a photo of a cabin she owns that’s in the Martin Lake fire area. She’s grateful that their property was spared after seeing flames approaching the property via a camera.

Then-area MHA and trained firefighter Chris Tibbs, who is now the minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, attributed the efficient response to a formidable fire department, which included volunteer firefighters, led by Fire Chief Vince Mackenzie, whom he said is “as good as you get.”

A water bomber, three helicopters, three Air Tractor 802s, and a bird dog were all deployed to assist in the battle.

The Bay d’Espoir highway closure proved tricky for residents, but local business Horwood’s helped deliver food, water, and supplies, and the town had the backup plan of doing daily escort runs for medical needs.
That wasn’t the only fire impacting the central NL area in 2025, however.

Badger issued an evacuation alert to its residents due to a forest fire burning just kilometres away from the town, which was started by lightning on June 17 and quickly grew to cover 500 to 600 hectares by the next day. 

A province-wide fire ban was put in place immediately and by noon on June 18, as the fire approached the river near the town, residents were ordered to evacuate to nearby Grand Falls-Windsor. On June 20, the evacuation order was lifted and residents were permitted to return home.

A screenshot from one of the videos shot by Ryan Pitts at the Chance Harbour fire July 15.

Another fire in Chance Harbour, on the nearby Bonavista Peninsula, destroyed multiple cabins in mid-July, prompting many people to describe the destruction left behind as looking like “a warzone.”
Residents of Musgrave Harbour, not far from Gander, were evacuated for five days after a wildfire threatened that community on July 20.
This photo, taken by Roger Jordan Hicks and shared on Facebook, shows the fast-moving fire threatening Musgrave Harbour, NL, July 20.

A look at fires impacting central NL in 2025

• June 18: Evacuation ordered for Badger amid 1,100-hectare wildfire.
• June 20: Evacuation order lifted for Badger. Though the fire was still classified as out of control, crews were confident that it would change.
• Week of July 14: A fire in Chance Harbour, on the nearby Bonavista Peninsula, forced the evacuation of cabins in the area and was described as leaving a “warzone” behind. Cabins were destroyed as the fire grew in size over the following week to become the largest in the province up to this point in the year.
• July 20: The Ragged Harbour fire forced residents of Musgrave Harbour to evacuate from July 20-25.
• Aug. 5: Martin Lake wildfire begins near the Bay d’Espoir highway and is met by Department of Forestry crews and a helicopter. Cabin owners and anyone in the area are urged to evacuate.
• Aug. 7: Martin Lake wildfire reported at 230 hectares and the evacuation advisory is expanded to include cabins from Rushy Pond to Rifle Lake.
• Aug. 11: Martin Lake fire grew to 265 hectares, with 30km/h winds and gusts up to 50km/h said to make the fire challenging to fight. Crews worked to keep it pinned to the western edge of the lake while fuel breaks between Martin Lake and Great Rattling Brook continued to be constructed. Water bombers, air tractors, and bucketing helicopters worked to suppress the northern edge of the fire to allow for fuel break construction.
• Aug. 14: Martin Lake fire grew to 2,160 hectares. Cabins reported lost. Bay D’Espoir Highway closed for days.
• Aug. 19: Martin Lake fire shrunk to 1,770 hectares.
• Aug. 25: Reported as “being held”.
  

Avalon Peninsula fires remained small

Although the Avalon Peninsula received its share of scares in the 2025 wildfire season, crews were able to prevent what could’ve been a complete catastrophe.

The largest fire in the region was found in Paddy’s Pond; it was contained to 318 hectares at its peak and no property damage was suffered as a result of the fire. However, residents of parts of Paradise and Conception Bay South were evacuated and several Canada Games events, which were running at the same time, were postponed, moved or modified to exclude spectators due to the safety risk.

“There was a real concern that if it crossed the highway, a good portion of Paradise and the east part of Conception Bay South would have been in direct danger and direct line of a fire that they may not have been able to stop,” said Conception Bay South (CBS) Mayor Darrin Bent.

A provincial government water bomber flies through smoke over route 60 in Holyrood as it makes water drop on a wildfire in the area. A section of Holyrood was evacuated Monday afternoon when fires spread and got too close to inhabited areas.Ground temperatures at the time are said to have reached 180 degrees, and were still running hot when spot checks were run a couple of months ago.

Other fires in the Avalon Peninsula area included Holyrood, which also experienced evacuations Aug. 3, which extended into CBS as well.

Looking forward, Bent points out that the town’s firefighters are specialized in structural fires, not forest fires, but CBS is now working on getting them cross-trained. CBS is also looking at getting firefighters the equipment they need for forest fires: pumpers, an aerial truck and additional staff, including a tactical response unit.

While the provincial government is doing its part, so is the town, which approved $570,000 in additional annual funding for the fire department, putting the total budget to just over $5 million.

“We want to be ready in case something threatens us again,” said Bent. “We want our firefighters to have the best equipment and the best training available to make sure that they can do the job that they want to do.”

Along with other communities, CBS has also adopted the federal FireSmart program, which educates residents on how to prepare for wildfires, whether it’s cleaning their property of combustible materials like dead trees, leaves, and so on.

Although it costs the town money, Bent said he feels it’s worth it.

At mid-day Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at least three waterbombers, a birddog airplane and a helicopter were fighting the Paddy’s Pond wildfire near St. John’s, Mount Pearl and Paradise. Here, one of the waterbombers flies through the smoke and heat waves near the fire.

Timeline for Paddy’s Pond fire

• Aug. 3-4: Evacuation ordered for a portion of Holyrood/CBS. Water bombers and ground crews worked on fire suppression and structure protection throughout the night; Route 60 in the evacuation area was covered in smoke; residents were seen outside the evacuation area watching water bombers in action.
• Aug. 11: Holyrood fire stayed steady at 22 hectares and was classified as under control with no growth.
• Aug. 11: Fire breaks out in Paddy’s Pond. Evacuation alerts were put in place for Akita Equipment, the industrial park, and parts of Paradise and CBS as the fire worsened, impacting an estimated 13,000–15,000 residents. The fire covered about 200 hectares. Water bombers worked in the area, with two more taken from Martin Lake to help with the response. Two more water bombers were set to arrive from Ontario and begin work Aug. 12. The TCH re-opens following a brief closure due to wildfire, while secondary roads remained closed, as was Fowlers Road at Peacekeepers Way.
• Aug. 12: Some Canada Games events in Paradise and CBS are postponed or relocated. Southlands and Galway are put under evacuation alert, bringing the total number of evacuated residents across the province to approximately 20,000. An evacuation order was issued for the Three Island Pond area of Paradise.
• Aug. 14: Paddy’s Pond fire still classified as ‘out of control’ at 306 hectares.
• Aug. 15: Paddy’s Pond fire was still being fought, with no property loss. Three Island Pond (Paradise) evacuation order is downgraded to an evacuation alert, permitting evacuees to return home.
• Aug. 16: State of emergency lifted for CBS and Paradise; evacuation alerts for Southlands and Galway lifted.
• Aug. 19: Paddy’s Pond fire stood at 318 hectares.

Looking ahead to wildfire season in 2026

Municipally and provincially, lessons were learned in 2025 by many who held minimal or no previous experience with such disasters.

As government officials look to the next wildfire season, it’s clear they’re going in more prepared, both in light of the 2025 fires but also within the broader context of climate change.

Apart from the repair of the province’s fifth water bomber, which is said to be on track to be working by next season, and ensuring firefighters are higher in numbers, trained earlier, and have better equipment, Forsey says more fire breaks are being considered, as well as locating helicopters in Gander and surrounding areas in preparation.

It’s not just about more equipment and firefighters, however, but the right equipment and firefighters, Wakeham explained to the Telegram in mid-December.

“We’ve talked about a commitment of money for the equipment and the training that our volunteer firefighters would need, the type of gear that they would need, instead of trying to fight forest fires in bunker gear,” he said.

“We needed to make sure that all of the volunteer fire departments have access to the appropriate gear.”

Wakeham also noted 50 more woodland firefighters are being hired, and that the PCs are even reconsidering its approach to infrastructure in light of increased natural disasters in recent years.

“When we build new roads and infrastructure, we better make sure that we’re building it to withstand that type of change that’s coming,” he said.

“We can’t do what we’ve always done. We have to be prepared. If we’re prepared better, then we have a better chance of making sure that we limit the type of destruction that we’ve seen.”

The provincial government of NL provides an update on the ongoing wildfire situation throughout the province on August 22, 2025. From left, Jaime Korab, minister responsible for NL Housing Corporation, Premier John Hogan, and Gary Murray, Newfoundland Power president and CEO. On screen are Justice and Public Safety Minister  John Haggie and Assistant Deputy Minister Stephen Balsom.Hogan echoed the PC party’s sentiments, pointing to the additional assets the province will have in place next season as a boon.

“The more assets on the ground that we have will help for future situations like we saw this summer,” Hogan said.

“I’m certainly thankful that the team managed to pull together assets from across North America in a very short period of time.”

The biggest lesson he draws from his time leading the province through one of its worst wildfire seasons? Having a plan in place ahead of time is essential.

“Every day, every minute counts when you’re trying to get those assets here,” he said.

Sean Ridgeley is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter.