The Town of Labrador City declared a state of emergency Monday after officials ordered residents out of three neighbouring cabin areas as a wildfire burned nearby.

The fire was burning about eight kilometres west of Labrador City as of Monday afternoon, Newfoundland and Labrador’s Department of Forestry, Agriculture and Lands said in a Facebook post. It was first reported earlier that day and water bombers were working to douse the flames.

Officials asked residents to flee the cabin area of Walsh River, just outside Labrador City, as well as the neighbouring Tamarack Golf Course and the parks at Throne Lake and Duley Lake.

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“Anyone in these areas should leave immediately,” the Forestry Department said.

The Town of Labrador City asked residents to head to Labrador West, which comprises the two mining towns of Labrador City and Wabush. The town offered a bus service and the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary asked drivers to be patient and follow commands from emergency personnel.

“For the safety of all, do not stop or exit your vehicle on a roadway,” the force said in a Facebook post.

Labrador City is a mining town near the boundary with Quebec, and it was home to about 7,450 people as of the 2021 census. Its twin community of Wabush, roughly five kilometres southeast, has a population of about 1,975.

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Newfoundland and Labrador residents experience delays as they rebuild after wildfire