Rain Brings Some Relief, but Wildfires Remain a Concern this weekend

A welcome change in the weather arrived this afternoon, with some rainfall moving across the Island through the day ahead of and along a cold front. Some of that rain has fallen over all three fire areas — a much-needed boost for firefighting efforts after a week of intense heat.

Kingston Fire

The Kingston Fire remains the largest and most active on the Island, now estimated at roughly 9,000 hectares — an area bigger than Bell Island. Over the past 24 hours, the most aggressive fire activity has been on the northern and western flanks. Smoke from the blaze has generally been carried northeast, limiting air suppression in the northern section, but operations have continued farther inland.

As winds shift to a northerly and then easterly direction over the next 24 hours, smoke will drift south and toward Trinity Bay side of the Avalon. This should open a window for aerial suppression near Smooth Cove and Northern Bay over the weekend, weather permitting.

Martin Lake & Paddy’s Pond Fires

The Martin Lake Fire holds at 2,160 hectares with no growth in the last day, while the Paddy’s Pond Fire remains at 306 hectares. In good news, Paradise lifted the evacuation order for the Three Island Pond area earlier this afternoon. The forecast for these fires as well looks promising for supression efforts over the weekend.

Forecast: Cooler, More Seasonable Weather

The extreme heat of recent days was driven by a strong ridge of high pressure — a classic heat dome. That pattern is breaking down, replaced by cooler, more seasonable air. Daytime highs will be in the upper teens to low 20s over the next week, with periodic rain chances.

Cooler temperatures mean wildfires burn less aggressively, giving ground and air crews a better chance to make progress. Overnight lows this weekend will dip into the single digits for parts of Newfoundland, with widespread teens during the day. The Avalon may start Saturday damp, but sunshine returns for the afternoon. Sunday looks bright and cool across much of the Island, with showers possible in Labrador.

Hurricane Erin: Watching Closely

Farther south in the Atlantic, Hurricane Erin is now a Category 1 storm with sustained winds near 120 km/h. It’s moving west-northwest and is expected to strengthen into a Category 3 hurricane by Sunday. Current forecast models keep Aaron southeast of Newfoundland late next week, likely Thursday or Friday, but its exact track will need close monitoring.

For now, the main story remains the combination of welcome rain, cooler temperatures, and ongoing firefighting efforts across the province.