Forestry restrictions lifted after rainfall

Recent rainfall has allowed the Department of Energy and Resource Development to lift the restrictions placed on forestry operations in the province.

A statement said forest users should continue to be cautious because of dry conditions, but recent rain has reduced the fire hazard.

The province put the restrictions in place after the forest fire hazard hit a 20-year high.

"The level of caution that forestry operations and recreational users have exercised over the past two weeks helped get us through the most extreme conditions in decades," Energy and Resource Development Minister Rick Doucet said in the statement Wednesday.

"I encourage all users to remain vigilant," he said.

Doucet said the department will not hesitate to impose the restrictions again.

Hot, dry summer

New Brunswick forests remained under a burn ban for much of July.

But much of the southern part of the province is now open to burning. Some counties — York, Queens, Sunbury, Kings, Carleton and Charlotte — are under a burn ban from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

After days without significant rain, Doucet imposed restrictions last Thursday on harvesting, forwarding, site preparation and pre-commercial thinning from noon until 8 p.m.

"The safety of New Brunswickers is our priority," he said.