Wildfire on Newfoundland’s Bonavista Peninsula mapped as largest in the province

Newfoundland and Labrador's provincial flag flies on a flagpole in Ottawa, Monday, July 6, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

CHANCE HARBOUR, N.L. — Newfoundland and Labrador’s Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture says a wildfire near Chance Harbour on the Bonavista Peninsula is now the largest in the province.

In a post on social media it says the size of the blaze is now mapped at 16.6 square kilometres, up from 15 square kilometres just about a day earlier, although the department notes this growth could have happened over time.

The department says firefighters continue to fight the blaze, and are using various equipment including water bombers and helicopters.

It says a sprinkler system is being used on the south and southeast section of the wildfire, closest to the communities of Jamestown and Winter Brook, and there has been no growth of the flames in that direction.

There are five active wildfires with two — Chance Harbour and Winokapu in Labrador — being classified as out-of-control, meaning the firefighting efforts are not fully able to contain the flames.

It has been a busy wildfire season for the province with 170 blazes so far this year, scorching an estimated 60 square kilometres of ground.

The Canadian Press