Multiple wildfires are burning in Newfoundland, prompting more evacuation orders and destroying structures in a community in the eastern part of the province.
Newfoundland and Labrador’s premier said during a media briefing Tuesday the out-of-control wildfire near Small Point–Adam’s Cove–Blackhead–Broad Cove and Kingston grew significantly overnight.
"The very unfortunate situation is that we can confirm we have lost some structures overnight, which really was not surprising given that the fire has tripled in size since last night," Premier John Hogan said, adding that as of Tuesday morning the blaze reached about 7.35 square kilometres in size.
The premier said it's unclear how many structures have been destroyed at this point, due to heavy smoke in the area affecting visibility.
The air in St. John's, about 40 kilometres northeast from the Holyrood-area wildfire, was hazy and heavy with the smell of smoke Tuesday.
Hogan said this has already been an unprecedented wildfire season, where hot and dry weather have led to 192 forest fires covering 84 square kilometres of land and multiple evacuation orders.
These are "historic numbers that we are facing and that we have seen over the first months of the summer," Hogan said.
Tuesday afternoon, the province issued new evacuation orders for more of the Holyrood area, the unincorporated area of Perry's Cove and the town of Salmon Cove.
A couple hours later, the Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture Department issued a notice to evacuate the Martin Lake and Great Rattling Brooks areas due to a new wildfire off Bay d’Espoir Highway.
Evacuation orders remain in place for a number of small communities in the eastern part of the province. The towns of Holyrood and Conception Bay South, the area of Kingston and Small Point–Adam’s Cove–Blackhead–Broad Cove, and Western Bay remain under an evacuation order.
Due to the ongoing wildfires, the province is implementing an open fire ban with a fine of at least $1,000. Fires are banned within 300 metres of a forested area, which includes land containing trees of any size. Permits to burn grass, brush or other materials are also cancelled.
"Be careful when you're operating things like ATVs or even chainsaws, these are things that can start fires," Hogan added while announcing the fire ban that will be in place until at least Sept. 7.
RCMP in the province said Tuesday they are investigating the cause of wildfires in the Small Point–Adam’s Cove–Blackhead–Broad Cove, as well as other brush fires that were reported to police earlier this summer.
In Nova Scotia, Premier Tim Houston said Tuesday the province is also bringing in new restrictions due to the ongoing hot and dry weather.
Houston had previously implemented a provincewide fire ban with a $25,000 fine, and said residents who hike or use vehicles in the woods, or camp outside of designated campgrounds could face the same fine.
Houston said he's heard from rural fire departments that are concerned about low water levels in lakes and ponds. The departments may need to use these sources of water to tackle fires, and the weather forecast indicates there's "really no end in sight to this dry spell here in Nova Scotia," Houston added.
"Like... so many Nova Scotians, I'm losing sleep about what's happening... We must do everything possible to protect each other, to protect our communities, to protect property and of course to protect lives," he said.
The premier said the province needs to restrict all activity in the woods to be proactive and prevent devastating wildfires like the ones Nova Scotia experienced in 2023.
Between May and June 2023, wildfires in Shelburne County and the Halifax area destroyed more than 200 homes, and the Shelburne fire in Barrington Lake became the largest in recent memory.
"As tinder-dry conditions continue to persist from one end of the province to the other, the risk of wildfires increases, and the risk is very, very high right now," Houston said.
The ban on activity in the woods, which comes into effect Tuesday afternoon, is the same ban the province implemented in the summer of 2023.
"This situation sucks. Summer is one of the best times in Nova Scotia, and we all look forward to getting outdoors and enjoying the scenic beauty that's around us. I get that. I'm right there with you.... But we have to stay out of the woods," Houston said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 5, 2025.
— With files from Sarah Smellie in St. John's
Lyndsay Armstrong, The Canadian Press
