Labrador West hospital closed and evacuated as thousands flee from nearby wildfire

CBC

July 13, 2024 at 8:47 a.m.·4 min read

Evacuation alerts are in place for Labrador City and Wabush as smoke covers the region. (Darryl Dinn/CBC - image credit)

Evacuation alerts are in place for Labrador City and Wabush as smoke covers the region.

Labrador City evacuated Friday night due to a nearby wildfire while Wabush remains on alert Saturday. (Darryl Dinn/CBC)

Wildfires in Labrador are still problematic on Saturday. The Labrador West Health Centre in Labrador City fully evacuated patients overnight and emergency services are closed until further notice.

Thousands of residents of Labrador City were forced to evacuate Friday evening with orders to travel to Happy Valley-Goose Bay — over 500 kilometres east.

The hospital and walk-in emergency services will remain closed until it is safe to fully reopen, Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services wrote in a news release Saturday morning

Ambulances remain on stand by in case of emergencies.

NLHS media relations manager Mikaela Etchegary told CBC News patients were transferred to other health care facilities in the province, with the majority diverting to the Labrador Health Centre in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

Roughly 1,500 people checked in at the E J Broomfield Arena in Happy Valley-Goose Bay since the evacuation order was issued. Thousands more are expected to arrive throughout Saturday.

Meanwhile, residents of Wabush are waiting with their bags packed since getting a possible evacuation notice Friday night.

Mayor Ron Barron told CBC News the provincial fire service is bringing in more resources to battle the fire on Saturday morning.

But, he said, those resources should have been there much earlier.

"This fire started last week," Barron said. "I think more attention should have been paid to it at that time rather than where it's catching us now and biting us in the you know what."

Dozens of cars from Labrador City were lined up outside of Churchill Falls Friday night to get gas before continuing east to Happy Valley-Goose Bay. (Submitted by Larry Flemming)

Barron wants Wabush residents to stay calm, vigilant and patient.

He said as soon as he learns more information, he will notify residents.

In the meantime, he said, people should stay in close communications with friends, family and neighbours in case the town has to evacuate.

Churchill Falls steps in to help

Lisa Parmiter was at her brewery in Labrador City listening to the news when she heard about the evacuation alert.

She immediately closed the bar and dashed home to start packing, she said.

Some of her belongings were already packed since the previous fire a few weeks ago in Churchill Falls. That was her first stop for gas.

Outside it was a dark haze, she said. White cars had an amber tint to them.

"It's a pretty lengthy lineup," said Parmiter. " I finally get to the gas station, and this guy starts pumping my gas."

It wasn't a worker — but a volunteer.

Lisa Parmiter is a resident of Labrador City. She and her partner joined thousands evacuees on the road to Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

Lisa Parmiter is a resident of Labrador City. She and her partner joined thousands of evacuees on the road to Happy Valley-Goose Bay after an evacuation order was issued Friday evening. (Heidi Atter/CBC)

Besides the three workers at the gas station, there were seven other people volunteering, helping to speed up the line.

The man told her that when Churchill Falls residents faced a similar evacuation just weeks ago, they received plenty of help — and it was their turn to give back.

"It's the Labrador way," Parmiter said. "It's who we are. We just take care of each other."

She said it took her 12 hours to reach Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

Capacity to shelter thousands

Perry Trimper, Liberal MHA for Lake Melville, and his team are helping to accommodate the people arriving to Happy Valley-Goose Bay. He says there is enough capacity to shelter over 9,500 people.

"Beds, shelters, meals, all of those types of logistics — we are definitely ready," he told CBC news on Saturday.

So far, 1,400 people registered for accommodations on Friday night and he expects thousands more to come.

Although the team of workers and volunteers in Happy Valley-Goose Bay are organized and calm in the midst of chaos, he said there are some challenges.

From gas running low — with reports that the gas station in Churchill Falls has rundry — to misinformation online about capacity, Trimper assures there is enough in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

However, there is a challenge to shelter people with their pets.

Trimper said SPCA is full. He's encouraging anyone who can afford to house people and their pets to do so.

"I saw people just a few hours ago crying when they knew that they weren't going to have to be separated from their pets," he said, adding other residents have approached complete strangers offering to help.

"I'm quite proud to live here."

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