Newfoundland and Labrador households forced to evacuate due to wildfires will receive an additional $500 in financial assistance, the province announced Wednesday.
The money will be available to people in the Conception Bay North region who were out of their primary homes for more than 14 days. The new funding is in addition to the $500 in emergency assistance announced a few weeks ago.
To receive the temporary assistance, households have to be registered with the Canadian Red Cross. The new funding is only available to residents whose primary residence in the Conception Bay North region is uninhabitable and uninsured.
An additional $1,000 per household will be paid out per month to those who can reside in private accommodations with family, friends or other community members. Up to $1,500 per household, per month, will be given to assist with the cost of rental accommodations.
Businesses in Conception Bay North are also eligible for a one-time evacuation stipend, based on the number of employees. Businesses with two to nine employees will receive $1,500, with $2,500 going to businesses with 10 to 99 employees. Employers who have employees who live in the region will be eligible to receive up to 42 weeks of wage subsidy – an increase from the 28 subsidized weeks announced earlier in the month.
To date, the province has issued nearly 1,800 payments to individuals affected by the fires.
Officials also shared some good news at their Wednesday press conference – The 1,633 hectare-Martin Lake wildfire, in the central part of the province, is now under control. The Paddy’s Pond wildfire, southwest of St. John’s, has been put out.
The Kingston wildfire, northwest of St. John’s, is still classified as out of control and has consumed over 10,000 hectares. The area received nearly 35 millimetres of rain Tuesday, which helped crews deal with hot spots. Firefighters from B.C. assisted local firefighters on that response.
At Tuesday’s press conference, Premier John Hogan singled out “the strength and resilience of Conception Bay North,” adding “the government is working around the clock to ensure you have the support you need.”
Hogan also thanked all firefighters and volunteer firefighters from across the province for their help in battling the wildfires and noted any equipment that has been damaged will be compensated.
There have been 223 wildfires in Newfoundland this season, with five wildfires still active.
