Spaniard’s Bay chief says teamwork beat wildfire

By Olivia Bradbury / Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Teamwork saved the day last week when yet another wildfire broke out on the Avalon, this time in Spaniard’s Bay as crews were already battling three other blazes across the island.
The Spaniard’s Bay fire started Wednesday on Maul Tree Hill, near the cemetery. It was discovered as fire crews were battling major fires on Conception Bay’s north shore and near Paddy’s Pond outside St. John’s and was the last thing hard-pressed fire officials needed as resources were already strained.
However, even as residents in Spaniard’s Bay and neighbouring towns fought down panic, officials with the Spaniard’s Bay Fire Department and the Town quickly evacuated residents from Brown’s Road and several other streets and set to work on the blaze.
While it is difficult to determine the fire’s cause, Spaniard’s Bay-Tilton Fire Chief Curt Roberts said a possible source was broken glass just outside the graveyard fence.
The department received a call reporting the fire at 2:39 p.m. It was approximately a thousand feet from residential homes when it began. Within hours, thanks to support from other departments and agencies, said Roberts, the fire was contained.
“We have a group e-mail and text with all the chiefs,” said Roberts.
So when his department received the call, Roberts called 911 and requested help from neighbouring departments as well as the Department of Forestry. Then, he sent a personal message to all the chiefs in the area. That brought in firefighters and equipment from the Upper Island Cove, Bay de Grave, Harbour Grace, Victoria, and Trinity South fire departments.
Forestry officials were also prompt in responding.
“They had their choppers in the air,” Roberts said, “so we didn’t have to wait for those guys to get up and running. They were here within minutes.”
By 8 p.m. the choppers were on their way home and Roberts’ crew and the firefighters from the other departments felt comfortable the threat of yet another out of control wildfire had been neutralized.
Roberts is asking everyone to remain careful, noting the risk of wildfires in the region remains very high, adding broken glass, which is often found along ATV trails, is a major hazard when it comes to magnifying heat from the sun and igniting flames.