The evacuation order issued for residents of Labrador City will be gradually lifted in the coming days, Premier Andrew Furey announced Saturday.

Over the next 48 hours, only identified essential employees and their families will be permitted early return to Labrador City. That includes essential staff identified by the Labrador West Health Centre, the Town of Labrador City, IGA grocery store and Rio Tinto. Those identified employees deemed essential by their employers should be ready to present employer identification when travelling.

To determine if your employer has deemed you an essential worker, call 709-729-3830 or 1-833-845-0775.

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, supported by Newfoundland and Labrador Ground Search and Rescue, will be controlling traffic along the Trans-Labrador Highway (Route 500) to ensure access is only permitted to identified essential workers.

The evacuation order will be officially lifted for all residents of Labrador City, effective noon, Monday, July 22.

The outdoor fire ban prohibiting setting of fires on forest land or within 300 metres of forest land has been lifted for the Island of Newfoundland but remains in effect for Labrador until further notice.

The setting of fires on forest land or within 300 metres of forest land is prohibited in all areas of Labrador.

In areas that are not on forest land or within 300 metres of forest land, fires are only permitted if set in a wood burning unit that:

• is made entirely of non-combustible materials
• completely contains the fire
• is screened to prevent the escape of sparks or other burning materials
• rests on legs or supports and placed on mineral soil or non-combustible material having a surface area of not less than 1.5 square metres
• is located not less than 3.5 metres from the nearest woods, brush or other flammable materials.

The fire ban does not apply to a fire set using a gas, kerosene, alcohol, propane or charcoal burning unit, provided it is not used within 3.5 metres of any woods, brush or other flammable material.

All coals from a charcoal-burning unit must be totally extinguished before being discarded and must not be discarded in any manner that may start a fire.

Significant firefighting resources have recently been dedicated to wildfire suppression impacting Labrador West. The outdoor fire ban in Labrador will continue to help reduce the wildfire risk in Labrador and support the efforts of wildfire suppression teams actioning active fires.

On the Island of Newfoundland, a Permit to Burn is required to burn brush and other materials during Forest Fire Season. Permits are available by contacting a local Forestry and Wildlife District Office.