New Brunswick wildfires: Blaze near Miramichi jumps to more than 1,100 hectares

An already-large wildfire near Miramichi, N.B., has nearly tripled in size since Monday, according to the province.

The ‘Old Field Road’ wildfire was reported as being around 450 hectares on Monday afternoon is now said to be 1,120 hectares in size.

It is one of 11 active wildfires, a number which is down from 14 on Monday, with only one other blaze deemed ‘out of control’, according to Fire Watch, the province’s information portal.

The other one is located near Irishtown, remains around 45 acres in size, which is the same as was reported on Monday.

Three of the other active wildfires are listed as contained on Firewatch while the other six are said to be on patrol.

Provincial officials said Monday that the fire near Oldtown was in closer range to the community so resources had been diverted there from Miramichi.

“Around Irishtown that the the area of concern that particular polygon has as many as 900 structures in that region,” Minister of Natural Resources John Herron said Monday. “That potentially could an estimated 1,500 persons.”

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The province had also asked people in the Irishtown area to prepare for evacuation at short notice.

Herron said that firefighters were having issues getting in front of the Miramichi fire.

“At the moment we are unable to get in front of that fire but we do have the capacity to help steer it, steer it away from people,” he explained. “So that that’s where our efforts are with respect to the old fuel fire itself.”

A restriction on public access to Crown Lands went into effect as of 12:01 a.m. on Sunday in N.B.

Government officials said all industrial and recreational activities on Crown land are prohibited due to extremely dry and dangerous conditions. Officials are encouraging private landowners to do the same.

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