Route 360, better known as the Bay D’Espoir Expressway, was closed Sunday afternoon due to wildfires burning near the Northwest Gander River.
The fire was likely ignited by lightning in the area, according to the provincial forest fire official.
It was one of several fires reported in the central region on Sunday, leaving the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture scrambling to take stock of the fires and prioritize responses.
As of early Sunday evening, there was no size estimate, but the department said a helicopter and truck bomb were handling the Bay D’Espoir Highway fire.
The fire occurred about 42 kilometers south of the Trans Canada Highway, cutting off all communities on routes 360, 362 and 364, including Milltown-Head of Bay D’Espoir, St. Alban’s, Conne River, Harbor Breton, Hermitage and more. .
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