State of Emergency Terminated
The Town of Labrador City advises that the State of Emergency declared in response to recent wildfire activity has now been formally terminated.
This decision follows Forestry’s classification of the Walsh River Fire as Under Control and the lifting of all remaining Evacuation Alerts in Labrador West.
Over the past two weeks, the State of Emergency provided the Town with the authority and flexibility needed to respond quickly to changing conditions, coordinate emergency operations, and support the safety of residents, property, and critical infrastructure throughout our region.
While the State of Emergency has ended, residents may continue to see firefighting personnel, equipment, helicopters, and other response resources operating in the area as Forestry crews continue suppression activities on the Lake Jackson Fire near the Quebec border. The Labrador City Fire Department has also begun removing structural protection equipment that was installed as part of the response effort.
Provincial Wildfire Resource Announcement
Earlier today, the Provincial Government announced several wildfire preparedness and response initiatives for Labrador, including continued planning for a seasonal water bomber presence in Labrador West, the addition of six new wildland firefighter positions for Labrador, two dedicated structural protection units for Labrador, and additional fire equipment funding for communities throughout the region.
The announcement follows the recent wildfire response in Labrador West and recognizes the importance of maintaining strong wildfire suppression and emergency response capacity in Labrador.
The Town welcomes these commitments and looks forward to continuing to work with provincial partners to strengthen wildfire preparedness and community safety across Labrador.
Thank You
The Town of Labrador City extends its sincere appreciation to Forestry officials, firefighters, emergency responders, volunteers, municipal staff, industry partners, provincial agencies, and all those who contributed to the response effort over the past two weeks.
We also recognize and thank the many local businesses, community organizations, service clubs, and individual residents who stepped forward to support emergency responders and wildfire crews. Through donations of food, refreshments, supplies, accommodations, equipment, and countless acts of kindness, the support shown throughout this event demonstrated the very best of our community.
We would also like to acknowledge our regional partners, including the Town of Wabush, the Iron Ore Company of Canada, Rio Tinto IOC Emergency Response Team, Labrador Grenfell Health, the RNC, Ground Search and Rescue, the Salvation Army, Forestry crews from Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia, and the many others who worked together to protect residents, critical infrastructure, and property throughout the region.
Finally, we thank residents for their patience, cooperation, and understanding throughout this event. Whether complying with evacuation measures, remaining prepared during Alert periods, or supporting neighbours and responders, residents played an important role in the successful management of this response.
The collaboration, professionalism, and community spirit shown over the past two weeks are a reminder of what Labrador West can accomplish when we come together.
The Town will continue normal monitoring activities and remain in contact with Forestry and provincial partners regarding wildfire conditions in the region. Should conditions change, residents will be notified accordingly.