St. John’s: The premier of Newfoundland and Labrador announced an additional $500 in financial assistance for residents forced to flee their homes due to wildfires. This is on top of $500 payments to evacuated households that Hogan announced earlier this month.
Hogan says the funding is aimed at helping displaced residents pay for food and other essentials. The premier also announced housing support for people whose primary residence is uninsured or uninhabitable. Households staying with family or friends in the community can receive $1,000 per month, and those needing temporary rental housing will be given $1,500 per month per household.
The wildfire that began on Aug. 3 near Kingston destroyed nearly 200 homes and other structures along a 15-kilometre stretch of coastline in the area known as Conception Bay North, or the north shore.
Meanwhile, authorities have stated that the Martin Lake wildfire, which spread across 1,633 hectares, is now under control. The Paddys Pond wildfire, southwest of St. John’s, has been completely extinguished. However, the province stated that the Kingston wildfire is still not under control and the fire in an area of over 10,000 hectares has not yet been extinguished.
So far this year, 223 wildfire cases have been reported in Newfoundland. Five of them are still active.
