Thousands evacuated as ‘extremely aggressive’ wildfire burns in eastern Canada

CNN
 — 

A wildfire burning in eastern Canada has scorched more than 24,000 acres and forced thousands to flee the Town of Labrador City, where at least one hospital has been closed, officials said Saturday.

The “extremely aggressive inferno” was deemed fully under control earlier this week, but weather conditions shifted Friday, setting the stage for rapid fire spread, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador Andrew Furey said in a Facebook update Saturday.

The wildfire exploded 22,000 acres in size, moving about 13 miles in just four hours, Furey said.

Around 9,500 people have been evacuated from Labrador City, Jeremy Reynolds, a spokesperson for the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, told CNN Saturday. “A contingent of essential personnel have remained behind to oversee the emergency response,” he added.

The Town of Labrador City, in the northwestern part of the province, is remote and sits about 900 miles north of Canada’s capital city of Ottawa.

The fire is spreading just three miles northwest of Labrador City. Residents have been told to evacuate to the Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay – a six-hour drive away, Furey said.

An evacuation order posted Friday evening said the fire had the “potential to grow significantly closer to Labrador West over the next 24 to 48 hours.” Meanwhile, an evacuation alert has been issued for the neighboring community of Wabush, where residents should be prepared to evacuate at any moment, Furey said.

The wildfire has also led to the temporary closure of Labrador West Health Centre, according to Furey. Everyone in the hospital has been safely evacuated, including 45 patients receiving care for more serious conditions. Those patients have been moved to facilities within the province, Furey added.

The hospital announced it would remain closed until it is safe to fully reopen.

“Ambulances are stationed in the area to respond to emergency calls as walk-in emergency services are not available,” the hospital said in a news release Saturday.