A wildfire evacuation order in central Labrador ended Wednesday, allowing people to return to their homes in Churchill Falls two weeks after they were asked to flee.
The raging fires that had threatened the town and its nearby power plant were no longer spreading, the town said in an update on its website. And though the fires were expected to be brought fully under control in the coming days, officials said there was still reason to careful.
“Out of an abundance of caution we are asking everyone to please remain prepared as conditions could change,” the town said.
People’s phones lit up with the evacuation order on June 19, in a message saying they had just 45 minutes to pack up and leave. A sudden shift in the winds had begun driving a nearby wildfire quickly toward the community, officials had said.
Residents were asked to go to Happy Valley-Goose Bay, a three-hour drive east along a remote, two-lane highway.
Churchill Falls is home to about 700 people, many of whom work at the local hydroelectric generating station, which serves Quebec and Labrador. In total, about 750 residents and workers were evacuated that night from the community.
A small essential crew stayed behind at the power plant to keep it operating. But last week, the fire jumped over the Churchill River, which had been acting as a natural barrier between the flames and the town. Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro evacuated its last employees from the plant, and began operating it remotely from Happy Valley-Goose Bay.
On Wednesday, the Crown energy corporation said it would arrange any travel needed to bring its employees back to Churchill Falls.
“We recognize everyone is eager to return to your homes and the tight-knit community you know so well,” the utility said in a post on its website.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 3, 2024