Published on Jun. 28, 2024
Fire had prompted a complete evacuation of all essential workers just days ago
As rainy and humid weather take a favourable turn in fighting raging forest fires threatening Churchill Falls, a Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro crew has been able to return to the plant.
"We are turning our attention to planning and preparing for residents to return to the community," Hydro said in a statement posted on its website early Thursday evening.
About 750 people were ordered on June 19 to flee Churchill Falls, a company town that exists to keep Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro's generating station running.
The remaining skeleton staff were forced to leave this Tuesday, after a raging forest fire jumped the Churchill River and moved closer to the town and its power plant.
RELATED: With help from favourable weather, Labrador fire drops to Level 1 fire
Hydro's evacuation order remains in effect, but plans are underway for when people could return to the town, the Hydro statement said.
Hydro also announced it was sending a small team of critical personnel to Churchill Falls in order to look at health and safety factors, as well as to begin the initial preparations for more people to return.
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"We will know more once they have had a chance to assess and we will continue to provide updates on next steps as available."
The Crown corporation added it is working with provincial government officials to get back to the town.
"The fire has not reached your homes, the town buildings or infrastructure," it read, adding the fire is within three to four kilometres from the town.
According to Newfoundland and Labrador's wildfire dashboard, there are nine fires burning in Labrador on Friday morning — down from Thursday morning's count
The Mount Hyde Lake fire is still listed as burning out of control and the Twin Falls fire is being held, maintaining its status over the last number of days.
Environment Canada is forecasting Churchill Falls will reach 15 C on Friday but it will rain over the weekend.
Changing situation
Over the last number of days, the situation around Churchill Falls has varied, at times dramatically.
CANADA'S WILDFIRES: Visit The Weather Network's wildfire hub to keep up with the latest on the active wildfire season across Canada.
On Tuesday, the fire had jumped the Churchill River — which had been acting as a natural barrier keeping the flames from reaching the town — and prompted an order for the final workers to leave.
Recent rainfall, humidity and lower temperatures contributed in dramatically reducing the threat that an out-of-control forest fire in central Labrador has posed to one of North America's largest power plants.
On Wednesday night, Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that Wednesday's weather had a positive impact in efforts to fight the fire and it was now a Level 1 fire.
It's a significant drop from the Level 5 and Level 6 categories from earlier this week, when managers fully evacuated the Upper Churchill hydroelectric power plant.
Thumbnail image courtesy of Nav Canada via CBC News.
This article, written by Elizabeth Whitten, was originally published for CBC News on Friday, June 28.
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