Newfoundland’s largest wildfire gains ground amid dry, windy conditions

Newfoundland and Labrador’s provincial fire duty officer says the largest of the province’s out-of-control wildfires continues to gain ground, helped by dry, windy conditions.

Mark Lawlor says the fire near the coastal town of Kingston, N.L., on the Avalon Peninsula, has expanded to about 52 square kilometres.

Lawlor says it’s remains unclear how many homes or cabins in the area have been destroyed by the fire.

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Thick smoke is causing poor visibility on the west side of Conception Bay, Lawlor says, making it a challenge for crews to assess the damage.

There are seven wildfires burning out of control in the province — five of them in Newfoundland and two in Labrador, but the Kingston fire is far larger than the other fires.

As of Saturday, about 3,000 people or about 1,500 households were under a provincial evacuation order.