Labrador City evacuation partially lifted
CBC
N.L. Premier Andrew Furey has announced that the evacuation of Labrador City is being partially lifted.
The wildfire threatening the community is not entirely out, but it is now considered under control.
The evacuation order, issued over a week ago, uprooted almost 10,000 people from the community, sending many on the 500 kilometre trek to Happy Valley-Goose Bay.
The fire also left residents of nearby Wabush in a holding pattern, wondering if they were next and scrambling to stock up on gas and food.
Furey says fire suppression efforts will continue, but a variety of factors have put the province in a good position to lift the evacuation order.
"But looking toward the predictive modelling and the weather patterns that are coming that it is safe to say that the probability of risk to the town of Lab City and Wabush is very low."
Furey says firefighters remain on the ground and they are monitoring hotspots. The fire remains at a category one level, which is to say there is still some work left to make sure it's fully out.
As well the fire ban, still in effect for Labrador has been lifted for the island portion of the province.
This means the setting of fires within 300 metres of forest land may resume in Newfoundland.
The ban does not include fires using gas, propane, or charcoal, provided it is not used within 3.5 metres from and woods, brush or flammable material.
With nine wildfires still active in Labrador, the ban there remains in full effect.
Over the next 48 hours, essential personnel and their families are being invited to return to Labrador City, but for the time being, that's it.
Furey says it's "just common sense".
"We will be starting with, as you could predict, healthcare workers, goods and services and then everybody to support those who are returning," says Furey.
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