Julie Hyde is worried about having to evacuate her home in Ochre Pit Cove because of the wildfire situation in Conception Bay North but is glad none of her 28 beloved chickens had to be left behind. ContributedArticle contentAs she surveyed the great view she had of the fires that had forced evacuations in Conception Bay North each day, Julie Hyde kept thinking about her own escape, should the time come.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentHyde lives in Ochre Pit Cove, just north of what has been called the Kingston fire. Each day since the fire broke out, she’s been posting photos and videos of what she could see from her vantage point, including terrifying images of the glowing flames as darkness fell.Article contentArticle contentArticle contentBesides her husband and their two Boston terriers, Hyde also has 28 chickens to worry about if the fire or the smoke became a problem for them.Article contentWith only a Honda CRV to pack up, she had some hard choices about not just what possessions to leave behind, but what animals.Article contentShe had decided that, besides the two dogs, she would only have enough room for her prized Polish chickens – one hen and one rooster – and then as many of the littlest chicks she could manage to squeeze in.Article content One of Julie Hyde’s 28 chickens that were evacuated from Ochre Pit Cove due to wildfires on Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025. ContributedArticle contentTime to goArticle contentThe call to evacuate did come, and it came quite unexpectedly on Thursday morning, Aug. 7.Article contentIt had been a beautiful, clear morning and Hyde had just gone down to the nearby pond for a wash because the dry conditions in the area had left too little water in the well that services her household.Article content“It was wonderful – I even took a video,” she said of Thursday morning’s seemingly worry-free conditions.Article contentArticle content“The sky looked pretty clear, and there was hardly any smoke. I came back up to the house and, then, within 20 minutes, there was an officer at my door saying we had to leave.”Article contentArticle contentDespite all the contemplation and preparation, panic set in as she realized this was no drill and they now had to leave for real.Article content They may feel a little displaced, but Julie Hyde’s chicken flock are safe from wildfires and smoke in their new digs in Red Head Cove. ContributedArticle contentHelp from out of nowhereArticle contentAs she began getting the things she planned to take, three vehicles pulled up.Article contentA neighbour named Michelle Dominey had seen Hyde’s husband surveying the fire from a hill and asked if they would need help evacuating.Article contentDominey then arranged for pet kennels so all 28 of Hyde’s chickens could evacuate, too.Article content“They brought them all down to Red Head Cove, which is where I am now,” explained Hyde. “Then, I think, they were headed to Grand Falls or somewhere to see if they could help anybody else. Just truly amazing people.”Article contentHyde doesn’t really know Dominey, only that she lived somewhere down the road from them.
Flying the coop: Ochre Pit Cove woman gets unexpected help evacuating with 28 chickens
