New Brunswick·NewThe province announced Monday afternoon that Crown land was open again, with some restrictions on industry, after a prolonged closure due to high wildfire risk. Three wildfires still burn out of control, prompting one evacuation advisory in Northumberland County.Forests opened up to the public on Tuesday morningOliver Pearson · CBC News · Posted: Aug 26, 2025 8:25 AM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hour agoNatural Resources Minister John Herron said the easing of Crown land restrictions could be reversed if a ‘fire of significance’ threatens homes, businesses, or other infrastructure. (Chad Ingraham/CBC)After a two-week closure due to the high risk of wildfires across New Brunswick, Crown land is now open to the public once again following Monday afternoon’s announcement from Premier Susan Holt.Restrictions remain on timber harvesting, which will only be allowed from 6 p.m. to noon and will be reassessed on a daily basis, according to a news release from the province.Peat harvesting, which has been permitted since Aug. 13, also has restrictions.Holt also warned New Brunswickers going back into the woods, and reaffirmed that a provincewide ban on campfires and burning of any kind is still in place.”We’re asking all New Brunswickers to continue to be safe and to take care, to be thoughtful about your ATVs, not to smoke in the woods,” she told reporters Monday.Crown land opened at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday after being closed on Aug. 10 due to the high risk of wildfires.Natural Resources Minister John Herron said on Monday that restrictions could return if more fires are ignited.”Should we face a fire of significance that is threatening homes, businesses, or other infrastructure, we may need to reconsider added precautions on Crown lands again,” he said.The province has left it up to municipalities to open up parks and trails.In Fredericton, Killarney Lake Park and Odell Park reopened Tuesday and a burn ban will remain in effect for the city.The University of New Brunswick will reopen the UNB Woodlot Trails later Tuesday morning.A photo taken on Aug. 13 shows firefighters working to extinguish the Oldfield Road wildfire in the Miramichi area. (Government of New Brunswick)Saint John has decided to keep its trial systems closed, including Little River Reservoir, Rockwood Park, and Tucker Park.The city said in a news release the decision was made to “protect the community and the city’s green spaces while conditions remain extremely dry and the fire risk is high.”According to the City of Moncton’s website, a number of parks and trails are still closed: Irishtown Nature Park and Mapleton Park. All trails in Centennial Park. Riverfront Trail between the West Main traffic circle and the Gunningsville Bridge. There are 17 active fires in the province as of Tuesday, including three out-of-control fires.One evacuation advisory in placeA wildfire evacuation advisory was issued on Sunday around 6 p.m. AT for people in Northumberland County living on Highway 117 east of Miramichi, from Black River Bridge up to and including Little Branch.The advisory says residents should be prepared to evacuate on a 24-hour notice and an emergency alert will be issued with instructions if residents need to leave.Fredericton will reopen Odell Park and Killarney Lake Park while a burn ban remains in place for the city. (Mike Heenan/CBC)The Black River Bridge fire is affecting the area and is out of control at two hectares in size. Herron said Tuesday morning that the province has a picture of the tree that was struck by lightning and caused the Black River Bridge fire.The fire is in a wet, boggy area, which helps the rate of spread but prevents crews from bringing in heavier equipment such as bulldozers, according to Herron.”We’re going to have to probably have a series of strategic attacks, potentially using our helicopter infrastructure,” he said.WATCH | What to include in your emergency kit: How should you prepare for an evacuation?Whether fire, flood or hurricane, there are ways you can prepare to evacuate your home when danger reaches your doorstep.The remote Beaver Lake Stream fire burning just above the Kennedy Lakes Protected Natural Area is out of control at 338 hectares in size.Herron said the province’s fire centre deems the fire 30 per cent contained. “That means we have a fire break or a hose around 30 per cent of that fire as we speak,” Herron said Tuesday morning.The Rocky Brook fire is out of control about 40 kilometres south of Dalhousie, and is 204 hectares in size.Herron also said the Rocky Brook fire is getting close to containment.It’s mainly cloudy across the province on Tuesday, with chances of showers and a risk of thunderstorms in the north.Highs range from 18 C on the coast to 26 C inland.ABOUT THE AUTHOROliver Pearson is a reporter at CBC New Brunswick. He can be reached at oliver.pearson@cbc.ca
Crown land, some city spaces reopen in N.B., but provincewide burn ban endures
