Despite N.L.-wide fire ban, 10 bonfires reported in St. John's area in single day

A Newfoundland and Labrador-wide fire ban has been in effect since Friday but that hasn't stopped some people in the St. John's area from lighting bonfires.

According to a statement Tuesday from the St. John's regional fire department, firefighters were called to 10 bonfires Monday.

Platoon chief Ken Dinn said some people aren't aware there's a provincewide fire ban in place.

"Remember, this fire ban now was reinstated only a couple of days ago. So not everybody is even aware," Dinn told CBC News.

Firefighters have arrived at homes to investigate reports of a bonfire and found residents weren't aware of the ban.

"They'll say, 'Yeah, we got a fire pit going,'" said Dinn, "And we'll inform them that, you know, there is a fire ban on and these are not even allowed right now."

It's summer, and a lot of people are on holidays, he noted, which may have played a part in lack of awareness.

The ban was initially implemented June 20 to reduce the risk of new fires diverting from firefighters battling blazes threatening communities in Labrador. The ban was lifted eight days later in Newfoundland, but remained in place in Labrador. On Friday evening, with a fire near Labrador City moving quickly toward the town, the provincial government renewed the ban in Newfoundland to conserve resources.

Dinn said heeding the ban is especially important given the wildfires in western Labrador, which haveforced Labrador City to evacuate and put Wabush residents on alert.

In addition, last month Churchill Falls was evacuated due to two nearby fires, threatening one of North America's largest power plants.

"We've all got to do our part to help protect Labrador, keep the resources up there. Be careful of what we're doing in the outdoors right now," said Dinn.

The fire ban is meant to help firefighting efforts in Labrador, he said, and if a fire starts anywhere else in the province, that can have negative consequences like delaying water bombers. The Labrador City fire at one point travelled 21 kilometres in four hours, he said, so any delay in resources arriving on the scene could be devastating.

"We're trying to leave all the resources there where they're needed right now and, you know, stop any unnecessary fires elsewhere in the province," said Dinn.

Plenty of local resources, says fire department

There are still plenty of resources on the ground in St. John's to fight any local fires, and local crews can still call on the province if they need any additional equipment.

"Regardless, they would have to help us out. And we don't want to [ask] that right now. But we do have our full contingent of apparatus."

Provincial fire duty officer George Gibbons, speaking with CBC News on Tuesday morning, cautioned people against starting fires even if the weather hasbeen damp.

"We're moving pretty well all of our resources here to Labrador and we can't afford to have another fire anywhere in this province," said Gibbons, who noted it just takes one emberfrom a fire pit to start another forest fire.

Dinn said warm weather means vegetation will become drier and catch fire easier.

"If someone flicks out even a cigarette now, that can smoulder for days before it actually catches on fire," said Dinn.

"And as it gets drier and hotter and hotter and hotter than, you know, it catches a little bit of grass. The next thing you know, you've got a full-scale forest fire."

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