Rain Moves In – A Boost for Firefighting
I’ve never been more excited to forecast rain than I am today. As of late Monday afternoon (August 18, 2025), showers had already reached central Newfoundland, and that rain is now spreading east. With much of the province seeing wet roads tonight into Tuesday, the timing could not be better given the active wildfires still burning across the island.
Wildfire Update
According to the Provincial Government’s 8:30 p.m. update, suppression activities at all three major wildfire sites went according to plan today.
Kingston Fire – Now estimated at 10,708 hectares, up by 958 hectares since yesterday. The fire remained active on its western and southwestern edges, though progress was reported through aerial and ground suppression efforts. Five heavy-capacity helicopters worked the western edge today, while Armed Forces and volunteer crews focused on protecting northern communities and the eastern boundary. No threat was reported to Victoria or Salmon Cove.
Paddy’s Pond Fire – Holding at 318 hectares. This fire remains hot and smoky, but fuel breaks and ground suppression continue to hold. Most of the perimeter is now contained. Crews from Newfoundland and Labrador, British Columbia, and the Armed Forces spent today working hot spots.
Martin Lake Fire – Estimated at 1,770 hectares. Bucketing helicopters and ground crews from NL and BC continued to make progress in all quadrants. Route 360 (Bay d’Espoir Highway) re-opened today, though access to Rushy Pond, Martin Lake, and Miguels Lake cabin roads remains restricted.
Overall, rain, cooler weather, and light winds created very positive conditions for firefighting efforts today. More of the same is expected Tuesday, which should give crews an even greater advantage.
The Forecast
This rain event is the big story. A front sweeping east tonight is bringing widespread showers across eastern and northeastern Newfoundland, and a developing low will help keep rain around through Wednesday before conditions gradually improve.
Rainfall Totals: Widespread 15–30+ mm is expected, with some spots possibly higher. For context, St. John’s has only seen about 9 mm of rain all month, so this system could surpass the August total in a single event.
Temperatures: Much cooler than last week’s heat dome. Afternoon highs Tuesday and Wednesday will only reach the low-to-mid teens across most of Newfoundland, adding another layer of help for fire suppression efforts.
Looking Ahead
Later in the week, eyes are on Hurricane Erin. Once a Category 5, it’s now a Category 4 well north of the Caribbean. Model guidance is in excellent agreement that it will remain well southeast of Newfoundland this weekend, keeping direct impacts minimal. Aside from large swells and rough seas, no significant effects are expected here.
For now, though, the headline is rain. It’s falling at exactly the right time and should give crews the upper hand as they continue battling these fires.
