Rain in forecast as forest fire rages near evacuated Churchill Falls power plant
CBC
While a forest fire continues to threaten Churchill Falls, so far it has yet to reach the central Labrador town built around one of North America's largest power plants.
The out-of-control fire jumped the nearby Churchill River on Tuesday afternoon, and for the first time started devouring woods on the outskirts of the town, which Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro runs to keep the plant going.
Officials are hoping for a reprieve in the weather Wednesday, which has a slight rainfall — up to 15 millimetres — in the forecast.
The fire has been formidable.
Provincial forest fire duty officer Mark Lawlor said Wednesday morning that the fire was so powerful on the preceding day that water bombers stopped having an effect. For safety, the pilots pulled out.
"There was no suppression efforts we could have put in that yesterday to stop it," Lawlor told CBC News.
Working with updates from Tuesday night, Lawlor said the fire is still active along the Trans-Labrador Highway, which was closed Tuesday from Churcill Falls to western Labrador.
The fire, he said, had also jumped the airport, and was headed toward the Smallwood reservoir.
After a broad evacuation last Wednesday night, a full evacuation order was issued Tuesday afternoon, forcing the remaining skeleton staff to leave for safety.
Between 80 and 100 people had been operating the plant and handling operations and site services, fire services and clearing work for a fire break that has been under construction.
"Forest officials continue to monitor fire conditions and has advised that as of this evening town structures have not been impacted," Hydro's website says in its most recent statement.
All personnel had been evacuated as of 6:15 p.m. NT.
The Hydro statement, posted at 10:54 p.m., said the plant is online but at a reduced load.
The plant is being monitored remotely by other Hydro staff.
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