N.L. wildfires: Penalties for violating fire bans soar up to $150,000

Access to Holyrood, N.L., remains blocked at Seal Cove due to the ongoing wildfire in the region, on Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Daly

ST. JOHN’S — As some of eastern Newfoundland’s tinder-dry forests continued to burn out of control on Friday, the provincial government exponentially increased its fines for those caught lighting illegal fires.

A visibly angry Premier John Hogan said the fine for a first offence would rise from $75 to $50,000, with potential imprisonment of up to six months for those failing to pay the penalty.

“Despite the serious nature of what’s happening, we are continuing to see reports of people setting fires and, in some cases, setting fires intentionally,” Hogan told a news conference. “It’s very clear from the size of the (fine) increase ... that we mean business.”

The fine for a second offence has jumped from $150 to $75,000. And a third violation will cost offenders a whopping $150,000, with up to one year in jail if not paid.

The premier said the province’s largest wildfire, which continued to burn out of control on the western shore of Conception Bay, had grown overnight to almost 28 square kilometres, keeping hundreds of people from their homes.

The province has ordered evacuations of eight small communities in eastern Newfoundland. Some homes and other structures have been damaged or destroyed, but the province has yet to release any figures.

RCMP confirmed Friday they are investigating the cause of the fire that has been burning near the amalgamated town of Small Point-Adam’s Cove-Blackhead-Broad Cove. On Friday, they issued a statement seeking surveillance footage from local residents on the west side of Conception Bay.

“Residents who have video surveillance at their home or business are asked to review footage from May to August 2025, and report any suspicious activity,” the RCMP’s statement said.

Meanwhile, with so many displaced people looking for shelter on the Avalon Peninsula, the region is facing a shortage of accommodations.

The province issued a statement late Thursday saying the Canadian Red Cross and Salvation Army were working diligently to help evacuees find a place to stay. But the government said accommodations are now severely limited on the Avalon Peninsula.

With no rain in the forecast until next week, Hogan said Quebec’s Premier Francois Legault had agreed to send four water bombers and 60 firefighters to help fight the flames.

The increased fines in Newfoundland follow similar actions taken in Nova Scotia, where wildfires in 2023 scorched 25,000 hectares of land, destroyed more than 200 homes and forced about 20,000 people from their homes. After the fires, the Nova Scotia government raised fines for burn ban violations to $25,000.

As of Aug. 6 of this year, Nova Scotia had already issued 10 tickets.

Nova Scotia’s fines also apply to a wide range of restrictions announced Tuesday, which include provincewide bans on hiking, camping, fishing and use of vehicles in the woods. The sweeping new rules, which have sparked widespread anger and confusion, will remain in effect until Oct. 15, or until weather conditions reduce the risk of more fires.

In New Brunswick, the provincial government has imposed restrictions on some forestry operations over the next four days.

Both New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island have provincewide burn bans into effect.

As of Friday, New Brunswick was dealing with five wildfires, with one small fire in the province’s northeast listed as out of control.

According to the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System, the risk of fire remained extreme across Newfoundland’s Avalon Peninsula and much of mainland Nova Scotia.

The risk was also very high across P.E.I. and central Labrador. The rest of the region faces a high risk, except parts of southern and western Newfoundland.

As the fires along Newfoundland’s Conception Bay grew larger Friday, there was concern about smoke affecting the atheletes taking part in the Canada Games, which start Saturday in St. John’s.

Environment Canada issued an air quality warning on Friday, saying the northern portion of the Avalon Peninsula was expected to experience “a significant reduction in local air quality because of wildfires.”

Canada Games CEO Karen Sherriffs said daily consultations are planned with provincial officials about potential relocations, postponements or cancellations if air quality becomes a problem.

Venues for sailing and soccer in the community of Conception Bay South are about 30 kilometres north of a fire still burning near Holyrood, N.L.

The games are expected to attract about 5,000 athletes during the next two weeks, along with coaches, support staff and spectators.

By Michael Tutton in Halifax.