Maritime Connection with Preston Mulligan,
Residents of Belleisle area grateful to volunteers who battled out-of-control wildfire
Lessons learned, needed equipment identified after last week's fire
In both fires, a local fire department of volunteers answered the call. Both departments dealt with similar conditions — a fire in the woods being driven by very strong winds toward people's homes.
When the call first came in around 1 p.m., Belleisle Valley Fire Department Capt. Mike Sherwood couldn't even see the smoke from across Belleisle Bay at his family's camp.
Within hours, however, heavy smoke was driven into the area by very strong winds, said Sherwood, forcing some people to leave that area on the opposite side of the bay.
Sherwood
said they've received so many inquiries about how to make donations to
the volunteer fire department that they've set up a new email address
for direct deposits. (Submitted by Mike Sherwood)
Closer to the fire, homeowners were convinced it was right on top of them because of the way the smoke blew close to the ground and far out ahead of the fire.
"The smoke was being carried so far, so fast, that people thought the fire was in their backyard, when in fact it was still roughly three-quarters of a kilometre from many homes along the bay, up on top of the hill," said Sherwood.
The close call was enough for residents to want to express their gratitude for the volunteers who answer the calls in the community.
In a post on the community's social media page, Sherwood said they've received so many inquiries about how to make donations to the department that they've set up a new email address for direct deposits to the department.
He also said he's hoping to use those funds to buy a drone for the fire department since "more and more the DNR [Department of Natural Resources] is relying on local departments to fight the fires."
It was his personal drone that he used, and it sustained some damage because of the heat. He said he'd like to buy a drone equipped with thermal imaging, which means it wouldn't have to fly as close to identify hot spots.
The fire began after strong winds pushed trees into power lines, causing the power to arc to the ground and catch fire. (Submitted by BVFD)
He said the information provided by the drone was invaluable in directing firefighters and resources in the fire zone.
Sherwood said he was given clearance and approval by the Department of Natural Resources and Energy to use the drone to create a plan of attack because they weren't able to acquire any water bombers — otherwise, it's illegal to fly a drone in the area of a forest or wildfire.
With the help of the drone, Sherwood said they were "able to direct the crews who were lugging 500 feet of hose through the woods from the truck that was actually pumping the water."
The drone was able to direct those on the ground to the easiest route through the woods.
"On the ground, there could be a roadway 10 feet away from you, and you'd never see it. That drone gave us a birds-eye view and allowed us to fight that fire a lot easier."
Provincial resources during wildfires
The Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development "does not offer direct financial support, the department provides training to fire departments on an annual basis," according to the department when asked about funding for volunteer departments.
In an email, a spokesperson said expenses are covered when "assistance is required" from fire departments.
The message said the department can also "provide trained wildland firefighters as well as logistical, operation and planning resources" and aerial support.
"Emergency Measures Organization provides logistics related to evacuations and community support. We also would like to mention others agencies including the forest industry, N.B. Power, the Red Cross and all other groups who help provide assistance during these times."
From clear skies to thick smoke
When Sherwood reached the fire department to gear up on the afternoon of May 28, the response was "pretty sparse," he said, which isn't unusual for a Sunday afternoon. Later that day, though, as smoke and word about the fire spread, they had 29 firefighters on the scene. They also had help from Norton and Wickham fire departments.
Sherwood said the fire started on Valley Road when a tree rubbed on the power lines because of the strong winds and resulted in "arcing" to the ground.
"By the time we headed out with the trucks, it was obvious that we had something big going on," said Sherwood.
Valley Road is located over the hill from Belleisle Bay, upriver from the ferry on the Kars side. Heavy winds pushed the smoke over the hill and across the bay to the southeast.
The fire itself burned in that direction for about three kilometres, toward homes and cottages along the bay.
But unlike the Stein Lake fire in Chamcook, a twist of fate and wind direction helped prevent disaster in Belleisle.
The fire started around 1 p.m. on May 28 on Valley Road in Kars, and strong winds blew it over the hill toward Belleisle Bay. (Submitted by BVFD)
"In most cases you can say it always could have been worse, but Mother Nature helped us out in this one for sure," said Sherwood.
The winds turned about 180 degrees and drove the fire back along the same path it had already burned.
That, said Sherwood, is what prevented the situation from being a disaster. Without it being driven by the winds, firefighters were able to stop the fire from advancing further toward the bay and the structures along its shores.
Sherwood estimates the fire came to within three-quarters of a kilometre of the nearest home.
He said no homes were officially evacuated, although the residents of the house that was considered closest to the fire's path had packed a few things and left — with four family members joining the fire department's efforts to fight the blaze.
Having gotten lucky by the change of wind direction, Sherwood said the fire, although out of control, wasn't deemed serious enough to warrant diverting water bombers from the fire in the Saint Andrews area, which started around the same time.
Eventually the fire was brought under control, but it still wasn't declared officially "out" by Sunday night.
A grateful community responds
Like the firefighters who worked around the clock to battle the out-of-control forest fire in Chamcook and Bocabec, the efforts of the Belleisle Valley Fire Department were immediately on the minds of Belleisle-area residents.
Sherwood said the local food truck cooked up 50 hamburgers while an across-the-road-neighbour from the fire station made 50 hotdogs.
Sherwood said they often receive donations from those who have been helped by the department. It's often used to buy new equipment or water for the firefighters, which can be significant.
The
fire tore through the woods toward houses and cottages on the Kars side
of Belleisle Bay before the winds turned 180 degrees and pushed it back
along its original path. (Submmited by BVFD)
"I have no idea how much water we drank that day, but it was in the hundreds of gallons. That all has to come from somewhere and that's typically what the donations are for."
The severity of this fire, however, seems to have hit residents close to home and the appreciation seems to be "deeper," said Sherwood.
"There was a lot of uncertainty with the way the wind was blowing because if you were running through the woods, I don't think you could have kept ahead of that fire," he said.
"Things were happening and changing that fast and that fluidly. So yes, people were scared and I think they're very appreciative that we were able to deal with that situation and stop it."
Lightening the load
Sherwood also hopes to buy forestry hoses for the department with any extra money donated by residents. Forestry hoses are smaller and lighter than regular hoses and make trekking through heavy terrain far from the trucks a lot easier on firefighters.
"That firefighter is going to last four or five times longer before he's completely and utterly exhausted," said Sherwood
"It's just like carrying a garden hose versus carrying about 50 pounds of rubber-wrapped firefighting hose."
With the way the climate is changing, Sherwood anticipates that fire departments will be dealing with more forest fires in the future.
"And the better equipped we are to deal with it, the faster that's going to be put out."
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Maritime Connection with Preston Mulligan,
June 4, 2023: What are you doing to help others affected by the wildfires in our region?
Volunteer firefighter shortage putting communities at risk, chiefs say
Fire departments are struggling to recruit enough volunteers to quickly respond to calls
"It's extremely concerning," he said. "From time-to-time we have excellent coverage and there's times we have very poor coverage."
Petitcodiac is one of a growing number of communities in New Brunswick and across Canada struggling to find enough volunteers to keep residents safe.
While cities employ career firefighters, small towns and villages rely on volunteers.
Peter
Saunders has been a volunteer firefighter for more than 30 years and is
a former chief. He's also the mayor of the newly amalgamated village of
Three Rivers, which includes Petitcodiac. (Alexandre Silberman/CBC)
Out of the more than 5,000 firefighters in the province, about 95 per cent are volunteers, according to the New Brunswick Association of Fire Chiefs.
Petitcodiac's station currently has 23 volunteers, but Ramsey said the department needs at least five more.
In the small community around 42 kilometres southwest of Moncton, many residents once worked at a large sawmill. But after the operation closed, most now drive to work in the city. At times, that leaves as few as two volunteers to respond to an emergency, forcing a reliance on mutual aid from surrounding communities.
24-7 commitment
Peter Saunders is mayor of the newly amalgamated village of Three Rivers, which includes Petitcodiac. He's been a volunteer firefighter for more than 30 years and previously served as chief.
Saunders, 61, works at a building supplies store in the village of 1,400 people, where he keeps his radio on to monitor for calls. Being a volunteer firefighter is a 24-7 role and is disruptive to family, home and work life.
"One minute you're washing dishes, the next minute you're at the end of a hose line or you're driving a truck," Saunders said.
Despite working dangerous situations, most volunteers only receive a few hundred dollars a year to cover their mileage. If they reach enough hours, they are also eligible to claim a $3,000 federal tax credit.
It's also a big time commitment just to get started. It takes 100 hours to do the basic course to become a volunteer firefighter in New Brunswick. Most members also have to commit to regular training one-to-two-nights a week, in addition to responding to calls.
Saunders's father was a volunteer first responder with St. John Ambulance, which encouraged his involvement. But he's seen interest decline over his time with the fire department.
"I believe that we do make a difference, even though there are bad situations. It's the helping people and to have them comfortable in the toughest situations," he said.
Recruitment challenges
The New Brunswick Association of Fire Chiefs doesn't have exact numbers on the shortage, but president Scott Poupart, a volunteer firefighter near Bathurst, estimates most volunteer departments need an additional six to 12 firefighters on their rosters.
"We're all in a continual recruitment and retention mode," he said.
Canada lost 30,000 firefighters over the past six years, according to a national survey.
Most firefighters in New Brunswick are over the age of 50, and many long-serving volunteers are expected to retire in the coming years.
Ramsey, who has been a firefighter for 20 years, attributes the recruitment struggles to several factors, including changing family dynamics and a decline in volunteerism in general.
Another challenge is that the responsibilities of a firefighter have greatly expanded beyond fires. Calls now include car accidents, medical calls, off-road rescues, overdoses and forest fires. The varying incidents require more specialized training.
The number of calls is now on the rise, with Petitcodiac firefighters responding to more than 150, on average, per year.
Since Saunders started, he said the types of emergencies firefighters respond to and provincial regulations have all expanded. Some calls can be traumatic, including grim car accidents, he said.
"You're asking for a lot for someone to be a volunteer today in the fire department business. For a thank you, for a handshake, for that barbecue. It's a lot," he said.
Possible solutions
As the number of volunteer firefighters decline, some departments are starting to pay members per call or hiring full-time chiefs — substantial costs for rural communities already footing the bill for expensive firefighting equipment. Others are hiring a few career firefighters to supplement the volunteers.
Scott Poupart is a volunteer firefighter near Bathurst and president of the New Brunswick Association of Fire Chiefs. (Submitted by Scott Poupart)
Saunders suggests one solution could be recruiting volunteers in whatever capacity they're willing to lend a hand.
"Maybe there's some people who don't want to go near car accidents, or maybe there's some people who don't want to wear an air pack. That's fine, but I'm telling you there's a job for you somewhere that you're going to be comfortable with," he said.
Firefighter associations are also lobbying the federal government to increase the volunteer tax credit to $10,000 from $3,000 per year.
Poupart said while the field is dangerous, there are ways to make it more appealing and accessible.
"We need to draw that new blood into the fire service, and the only way we're going to do that is by making our training flexible enough, putting some incentives in place, whatever they may be," he said.
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Maritime Connection with Preston Mulligan,
June 4, 2023: What are you doing to help others affected by the wildfires in our region?
Lessons learned, needed equipment identified after last week's fire
Mia Urquhart · CBC News · Posted: Jun 05, 2023 7:00 AM ADT
ATV group urges members to stay off N.B. trails amid forest-fire risk
Users asked to halt activities for 2 weeks as tinder-dry conditions continue
Quad N.B. said a cigarette butt or a hot exhaust pipe rubbing against brush could spark a fire in extremely dry conditions.
The call to stay off trails comes after an ATV ignited a forest fire in the Saint Andrews area, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of homes.
"We just want to make sure that all of our members understand the situation that we're in right now with the dry season and the potential of a fire starting very quickly," said Jacques Poirier, the organization's general manager.
In a memo to members, Poirier said the air quality is unhealthy in certain areas and out-of-control fires could put ATV riders at risk. He asked clubs to cancel any scheduled events.
"We do not recommend anyone go into the forest," he wrote.
Quad
N.B., the association that manages ATV trail networks across New
Brunswick, said the air quality is unhealthy in certain areas and
out-of-control fires could put ATV riders at risk. (CBC)
The organization said people who insist on riding ATVs should take "every precaution necessary" and avoid areas with active fires.
Poirier said the memo is a recommendation, but he expects Crown land could potentially close to recreational activities if dry conditions continue. He said with tinder-dry brush and vegetation, a hot ATV could risk sparking a blaze.
"Just a matter of parking near or over dry grass — it could literally start a fire easily," he said.
There are currently 14 active forest fires in New Brunswick, and the entire province remains under a burn ban amid dry conditions, hot temperatures and high winds.
Natural Resources Minister Mike Holland said the situation does not currently meet the criteria to close Crown lands to recreational or industrial use. He said he's urging New Brunswickers to use care while the province remains at the red level of the forest-fire index.
"Whether it be in the woods, whether it be in your backyard, whether it be anywhere, in a subdivision. Anywhere you are, forest fire and fire precautions need to be taken," Holland said, speaking by phone from the province's forest fire management centre.
The province is urging extra caution with cigarettes and smoking materials, errant sparks, coals and anything that could start a fire.
Natural
Resources Minister Mike Holland says precautions need to be taken no
matter where people are, whether its in the woods or the backyard. (Ed Hunter/CBC)
New Brunswick closed Crown lands in 2020 after a streak of dry weather created a major forest-fire risk.
While Crown land remains open, Holland said forest-fire management staff are continuing to analyze the situation. He said he would have to defer to groups such as Quad N.B. for guidance on specific activities.
"We're in a situation where we've got some hot spots, we're paying very close attention to them. And we continue to be on par with years gone by.
"Over the weekend, there was a significant amount of forest-fire starts. So that's a bit of an anomaly from what we're used to," he said,
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Activity Summary 2023-05-29
Being Patrolled 152 Valley Fire May-29 45.62778 65.91528 40.0 4 1 0 0 0 0 1
Activity Summary 2023-05-29
2023-05-29
Page 1 of 1
Natural Resources and Energy Development
Pers = Fire Fighters; Eng = Engines; Tend = Tenders; Trac = Tractors; Air = Air Tankers; Heli = Helicopters; Ovr = Overhead
Belleisle Valley - What's Going On?
Kars fire May 28-29 2023. Origin Valley Road, tree on wire, travelled roughly 3 km east, fanned by strong west wind, currently under control.
Update on fire in Kars…
Fire is under control, BVFD still on scene putting out hotspots, wind is blowing fire back onto the already burned sections, anticipating fully out by this afternoon.
I’m very proud to serve our community alongside all BVFD members, and community members helping out yesterday and today with the large wind driven forest fire. Thank you Belle’s and Marj for feeding us, and Ginny, Alex Howe and the boys for delivering to the many locations we were set up. Your BVFD is absolutely top notch in our training, equipment and brute power, along with DNR, Norton FD and Wickham FD, who were called to their own forest fire while helping us,well done ladies and gentlemen.
400 homes evacuated, 1 destroyed as Saint Andrews-area forest fires spread
An ATV caught fire Sunday, blaze spread to surrounding dry woods
An evacuation order remains in place for Bocabec and surrounding areas in southwestern New Brunswick, and officials have blocked off part of Highway 127 between Bocabec and Saint Andrews.
A news conference is scheduled to be held at 2 p.m., when fire Chief Kevin Theriault, Saint Andrews Mayor Brad Henderson and Premier Blaine Higgs are expected to provide an update.
The fire has jumped the highway and also some waterways and is now burning in several different areas, kilometres apart. From Kerrs Ridge Road, near the exit to Bocabec, smoke could be seen from five distinct areas.
Waterbombers and fire crews from several departments from as far away as Oromocto are battling the blaze.
Some planes that had gone to Nova Scotia Sunday to assist with a wildfire that continues to burn out of control northwest of Halifax returned to New Brunswick by Monday morning, Higgs told reporters.
"I've been told that certainly on the resource side we have adequate resources now on the ground for the current situation," he said. "But you know that's a moving target, isn't it?"
Higgs was onsite with Saint Croix MLA Kathy Bockus. "We're here as a provincial government to be part of the solution and to provide whatever additional resources are needed to meet the needs," he said.
Smoke caused by the forest fires in communities near Saint Andrews. (Andrea Anderson-Mason)
Almost all residents of Bocabec and Chamcook have had to leave their homes and are unlikely to be back soon as the fires rage on, according to Henderson.
"Unfortunately, this fire still has a ways to go [to] being contained," he told Information Morning at about 7:15 a.m. Monday.
Bocabec is about 17 kilometres northeast of Saint Andrews, and Chamcook is about six kilometres north. They're both small rural communities on the highway leading into the seaside town.
Outside the command centre that's been set up at the Saint Andrews fire station, people have been arriving with food and asking what they can do to help.
Out of control, could get worse
According to the provincial Wildland Fire Reporting System, the fire is out of control, and has spread to 617 acres, or 250 hectares, since it started less than 24 hours ago.
The evacuation area includes 10 kilometres along both sides of Highway 127 — from the Highway 1 exit until Glebe Road, Henderson said.
Saint
Andrews Mayor Brad Henderson says dozens of firefighters are heading
back out to the forest fires in the Bocabec and Chamcook areas, as
additional air support is expected to arrive Monday morning. (Brad Henderson/CBC)
The fire is unpredictable, and anyone who's still in the area should leave, he said.
"There is absolutely no reason to be in your home," he said. "This is a changing situation where it could certainly get worse."
Many people in the area have been trying to get to the blocked-off area to check on property, but they are being turned away.
Emergency assistance offered
The W.C. O'Neill Arena opened as an emergency shelter and is offering food and accommodation.
Henderson said about 100 people registered with the Red Cross at the arena, and none had to sleep on a cot because hotels, airbnbs and private homes are opening their doors to help them out.
"When you drive through Saint Andrews and you see the Algonquin Hotel have a lineup of cars, and you see everyone, just their cars full of all their belongings, it really hits home, how this is impacting people," he said.
The forest fire in Saint Andrews spread quickly, growing from a small ATV fire to cover 500 acres in fewer than 24 hours. (Roger Cosman/CBC)
Vicki Hogarth, news director with CHCO Television, an independent television station in Saint Andrews, said she'd spoken to people worried about their homes and belongings.
"In one case we were standing with the family who were watching what they were pretty sure was their home on fire and they had their dog with them, but they couldn't find their cat in time," she told Information Morning. "They were hoping, just because it was a nice day, that the windows were open and the cat was safe."
She said she also saw people trying to get their livestock to safety.
Firefighters have been hiking into the woods with backpacks, but Henderson said air support is coming. Although one home has been lost, there have been multiple close calls that firefighters successfully beat back, he said.
On Sunday, small planes were spraying the woods with fire retardant and attempting to slow the burn. They had to land for the night but Henderson said they're coming back Monday.
The fire spread quickly to multiple places because of dry weather and high winds. (Peter Vihvelin/Submitted)
This year has already been above average in forest fire size. Since the beginning of the year, 292 hectares have burned, which is 10 hectares higher than the 10-year average.
With files from Mia Urquhart and Information Morning Saint John
National Geographic: "A wildfire is an uncontrolled fire that burns in wildland vegetation, often in rural areas."
So a forest fire started accidentally by humans would qualify as a "wildfire," although deliberate arson would not. Also, one would not want the media to interfere with current investigations in progress by the authorities. The media serves a far more useful purpose in notifying the public of the extent of the fires and of evacuation orders.
Lightning is by far the most common natural cause.
'Nothing is left,' daughter says of parents' home lost to forest fire
Residents of Bocabec and Chamcook allowed back home, but officials caution threat isn't over yet
Their house, a one-storey in Bocabec, about 20 kilometres northeast of Saint Andrews, was the only one lost in a 540-hectare fire that began Sunday.
Stewart, who goes by Annie, said her parents' house was evacuated, so they were staying at a friend's house across the road. She said the fire came down the hill, destroyed the house, then went back up the hill.
"Nothing is left. It's pretty much just rubble," Stewart said. "All that's left is my mom's bird bath."
The charred remains of the workshop where Stewart's father built handmade steam engines and boat models, among other things. (Submitted by Annie Stewart)
She said they were able to move their vehicles, save their pets, and her mother grabbed one photo album. Stewart said she grew up in that house and it held a lot of memories.
"All my school pictures, my french diploma. ... A couple of books that I got from my music teacher that passed away from breast cancer. I lost a lot of good memories," she said.
She said her parents have been grateful for the outpouring of community support, with people donating necessities and cash, and her partner Shawn McLeod started a crowdfunding campaign.
Stewart said her parents didn't have insurance for the house. She said they're getting a trailer to live in and plan to rebuild.
'This fire is not over'
While some residents of southwestern New Brunswick are breathing a sigh of relief Wednesday about the success of firefighters, the message from the mayor of Saint Andrews was: "This fire is not over."
Hundreds of people had to leave their homes, but on Tuesday, officials lifted the evacuation order — even though the fire is still listed as out of control.
Annie Stewart's parents' house was the only one that burned in a fire that's still listed as out of control. (Shane Fowler/CBC)
The next morning, Mayor Brad Henderson said the decision was made because the residential areas are no longer under imminent threat. But he encouraged people to stay vigilant and be prepared to leave again.
"There [are] active hotspots that continue to flare up," he told Information Morning Saint John. "That's expected probably not to end for a number of days. It's such a large area and some of it is very difficult to get to."
Henderson said hot and dry weather, as well as high winds, could contribute to the fire spreading.
Roger Collet, a wildlife management officer with the Department of Natural Resources, told an afternoon news conference in Fredericton that the fire now is mostly smouldering but can't be considered contained.
There are up to 400 hotspots in the 540 hectares covered by the fire, which will be continuously monitored, he said.
Premier Blaine Higgs also cautioned that the fire threat isn't over.
Higgs praised the firefighting force, including 50 volunteers, and the "element of calmness" shown in knowing how to tackle the fire.
The fire in Charlotte County got close to residential areas earlier this week but has been knocked back. (Melanie Ryall)
"We don't need to make more work for them," Higgs said before praising individuals and groups for refraining from adding to the fire risk.
Collet said calm weather has helped conditions, and the province was confident enough about the situation on Wednesday that it sent four water bombers to Nova Scotia, where a fire outside Halifax has already damaged 200 homes.
New Brunswick, which is co-ordinating the effort with Nova Scotia, kept four water bombers.
"We have ourselves covered," Collet said. "We're not expecting a lot of fires today because of the calm conditions."
Shelter remains open in town
In Saint Andrews, the emergency shelter at the W.C. O'Neill Arena is still open and staffed by Red Cross volunteers. Henderson said evacuees who are not comfortable going home yet are welcome to stay there.
He said if people have to evacuate their homes again, they can sign up to receive text and email notifications, and officials would also go door to door.
Henderson said there have been two close calls where the fire got close to homes but didn't touch them. Geoffrey Howson's home in Bocabec was surrounded by charred land on three sides but was still standing.
Annie Stewart and her partner Shawn McLeod are helping Stewart's parents after their house burned down in a wild fire. (Shane Fowler/CBC)
Roger Collet, a wildfire management officer with the New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources, previously said the seven water bombers that flew more than 80 hours on Monday are now on standby. He said the fire will now be fought on the ground — unless it worsens.
On Wednesday, firefighters continued to use bulldozers to clear the way to access the more remote areas and to help create fire breaks.
With files from Information Morning Saint John and Shane Fowler.
From 'hilltop to hilltop to hilltop': residents grapple with impact of fast-moving forest fire
Some homes nearly surrounded by charred ground and trees
The heavily wooded areas on either side of his long driveway were burned black. Scorch marks almost encircle his house, including in a front flower bed and directly beneath his back deck, which overlooks Passamaquoddy Bay.
Fire burned through a wooded area to within 10 metres of his home on one side.
Howson credits firefighters with saving his house. If not for them fighting off the flames, he's certain he would have lost it.
Howson shows the remnants of the fire that burned under his back deck. (Roger Cosman/CBC)
That scene was being replayed all over the Bocabec and Chamcook areas affected by the fire after officials lifted an evacuation.
He said he's "incredibly grateful" to the firefighters, who worked around the clock to protect homes from the fast-moving fire that began about three kilometres away in the woods across Highway 127 from Howson's house.
Fire
burned through the woods on this property off Highway 127 in Bocabec,
but firefighters managed to save three buildings nearby. (Mia Urquhart/CBC)
Firefighters told Howson they even fought the fire with the garden hose he had lying beside his house.
He heard about the fire from a neighbour on Sunday afternoon and within hours, he and his wife were ordered to evacuate.
While the fire is still considered out of control, officials did allow residents to return.
Howson said he had been running on adrenaline until he got home and started feeling the impact of what they had been through.
He felt vulnerable and "just very, very lucky."
Across Highway 127, Department of Natural Resources officials allowed journalists on Tuesday to get a look at the damage caused by the forest fire.
A dirt road led to several properties in the woods.
Very little vegetation was left. Blackened tree trunks were all that was standing along both sides of the road.
Somehow, though, firefighters managed to keep the flames from claiming three modest homes or camps.
Burned vegetation almost surrounded one of the buildings, coming to within feet of the structure. It seemed inconceivable that any of the buildings were still standing.
The fire burned to within several feet of this home under construction in the woods off Highway 127 in Bocabec. (Mia Urquhart/CBC)
Firefighters were still on the property dousing hot spots in the nearby woods when one of the homeowners returned.
The man walked around his house and stood to survey the damage. He stood very still until he was overcome by a visible shudder before he continued on around his house.
Only one house was lost in the blaze that claimed about 250 hectares. It's being called the Stein Lake fire because it began on the South Glenelg Road near Stein Lake, around 13 kilometres north of Saint Andrews.
Fire Chief Kevin Theriault said the 911 call reported an ATV on fire. He said by the time firefighters reached the scene, it had already spread to the woods and could not be contained.
Very strong winds on Sunday initially carried the fire parallel to Route 1 before turning south toward Highway 127, said Theriault.
He said the winds were so strong they carried the fire from "hilltop to hilltop to hilltop."
A
firefighter helps douse hot spots with water on Tuesday afternoon at a
property off Highway 127, three kilometres from where the Stein Lake
fire started. (Mia Urquhart/CBC)
In fact, the fire spread to areas eight kilometres away from the initial fire. At its widest, the fire burned three kilometres across. It jumped across Highway 127 in at least three spots, said Theriault.
By Monday afternoon, he said there were at least six distinct fire locations.
Local MLA Kathy Bockus told a news conference on Tuesday afternoon that aerial surveillance identified 220 hot spots.
More than 60 firefighters from 13 different departments from as far away as Harvey and Oromocto were on scene battling the blaze on Monday.
Elementary
school children helped make dozens of signs like this one that were put
up along the route between the fire station and the fire. (Roger Cosman/CBC)
By Tuesday, Theriault said, that was down to 55 firefighters from eight departments.
Roger Collet, a wildfire management officer with the New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources, said the seven water bombers that flew more than 80 hours on Monday are now on standby.
The fire will now be largely fought on the ground by hand. Bulldozers are being used to clear the way to access the more remote areas and to help create fire breaks.
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