Firefighters make quick work of downtown brush fire as fire index continues to climb
Fire crews made quick work of a brush fire in the downtown area of St. John’s on Tuesday evening, on the same day that many areas of the province saw a rise in the Fire Weather Index.
Shortly before 6:30 p.m. crews were called to the Cuckhold’s Cove area of St. John’s, following reports of a brush fire near Maxwell Place. Firefighters arrived to find growing fire among the trees, roughly fifty metres from the roadway. Crews were able to quickly knock the fire down, and spent the next while soaking the area ensuring no hot spots remained. Personnel with the Department of Forestry also arrived to assess the situation.
Some area residents expressed concern about frequent activity in the nearby woods, as many youth frequent the trails and pathways that lead from the area to Signal Hill.
On Tuesday the provincial Department of Forestry increased the Fire Weather Index on the Avalon Peninsula to Very High. Under that alert level, all burning permits are suspended, all outdoor fires and campfires are prohibited, extreme caution is encouraged on any forested land, and fireworks and sky lanterns are banned.
Some areas of the province, including the Burin Peninsula and parts of western Labrador, are under an extreme fire index.
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