New Brunswick·NewHunters, fishers, hikers and kayakers all look forward to returning to the woods even though concern about wildfires remains high, and the causes of those fires still uncertain.The province has reopened most areas for recreational activities, but the concern about fires remains highJennifer Sweet · CBC News · Posted: Aug 29, 2025 5:55 PM EDT | Last Updated: 36 minutes agoPeople are returning to the New Brunswick woods for recreational activities like kayaking. (Submitted by James Donald)Some woods enthusiasts say they are returning with excitement and trepidation, as Crown lands have reopened for recreational activities, but a fire ban remains in place.Larry Davidson and Bonnie Jones own and operate Taxis River Outfitters in Boiestown, a rural community of Upper Miramichi, about 60 kilometres northeast of Fredericton. It’s their full-time jobs and they live at their lodge.The fire restrictions haven’t affected them too badly, so far, said Davidson.But bear hunting season is set to begin Sept.1 and some of the land they normally hunt on remains closed.Eugene Sullivan, Larry Davidson and Bonnie Jones of Taxis River Outfitters in September 2022. Bear hunting season is set to begin Sept.1 and some of the land they normally hunt on remains closed. (Submitted by Taxis River Outfitters)”We lease some ground from a private landowner and we’re still on full restrictions with that,” he said.Davidson finds it reasonable to be taking precautions, given how dry things are, but he’s afraid he may lose some clients and income.He hoped weekend rain would improve the situation.’They’re monitoring the forest pretty good’Everyone has been doing their part to protect the forest, said Davidson.He was in the woods Thursday doing some bear baiting and a few surveillance flights passed overhead.”They’re monitoring the forest pretty good,” he said.He’d like to see lots more rain before the end of September, which is when moose hunting season takes place.”That is a big event — a big money raiser for the province, so let’s hope that goes through for God sakes.””A lot of people depend on this for their livelihood.”The federal fisheries department has also reopened some Miramichi salmon pools, he noted, adding that his lodge doesn’t fish at this time of year anyway because the water is usually too low and he is otherwise occupied.James Donald, who runs the online communities Paddling NB and Hiking NB, said the woods ban caused him to alter some planned excursions, but he found plenty of coastal areas to explore. (Submitted by James Donald)James Donald runs the online communities Paddling NB and Hiking NB.He said he’s never seen the water level in the Miramichi so low.The woods ban caused Donald to alter some planned excursions, but he found plenty of coastal areas to explore, like hiking Dennis Beach between Alma and Cape Enrage, and kayaking in the Bay of Fundy. “If you’re creative you can find places to get out in nature without going into the woods,” he said.Former steamboat stops along the St. John/Wolastoq River are awesome launch sites for paddling, added Donald.Donald said he felt bad for travellers whose plans for big hikes like the Fundy or Nepisiguit Mi’kmaq trail were upended, but he understood the need.”You might not be the one lighting fires, but the more people out there the more risk of fires just in general.”He and his wife came upon a forest fire on a hillside while hiking the Nepisiguit trail a couple of years ago.He estimated it was about 16 metres in diameter.They used their dry bags to haul water up from the river to put it out, he recounted, and they reported it to the Department of Natural Resources.He guessed it was caused by a discarded cigarette, as there was no campsite around.”If people are getting out, even though the fire ban’s on, just be very careful,” he advised.”Don’t light any kind of fire even the little cook stoves and stuff, I’d stay away from.””You don’t want to be the one to start a fire,” he said.Major fires still a mysteryIt’s been about three weeks since the start of the worst two wildfires New Brunswick has seen so far this season, and there is still no official determination of the cause of either of them.Speaking to reporters on Aug. 20, fire behaviour specialist Danny Goddard said, “Our ignitions before, in Irishtown, the Oldfield Road, those were human-caused ignitions.”When prompted to elaborate, however, Goddard was less definitive.”There was no lightning,” he said. “I can’t really say it was human started, but it definitely wasn’t started by lightning.”Natural Resources Minister John Herron acknowledged on Aug. 26 that the public is keen for answers.”I know those are the ones that clearly have the most interest,” he said, referring to the Oldfield Road and Irishtown area fires.The Oldfield Road fire has been the largest so far this season at 1,403 hectares, but it is now considered under control.3 fires out of controlThe three still considered out of control are the Beaver Lake Stream fire, which has grown to 456 hectares, and two that were just listed as out of control on Friday — fire 310 in the eastern part of the province near Rogersville at 0.1 hectare and the Portage fire at 0.3 hectares.”I’m as eager to know about what the cause of the fires was as I think all New Brunswickers are,” Herron said.”I’m looking forward to sharing all that information with New Brunswickers once that becomes apparent,” he said.”The folks at EMO [Emergency Measures Organization], our boots on the ground from DNR and the Fire Protection Unit that we have within the Department of Natural Resources,” are the ones investigating.Herron anticipated the work would “take a bit of time.”89 tickets issuedCBC News requested an update on the investigations from the department Friday.A spokesperson for the Department of Public Safety responded by email that the cause of the fires is still under investigation and the department can’t comment further.Jadesola Emmanuel added that conservation officers have issued 92 warnings and written 89 tickets related to Forest Fires Act violations so far this year.The infractions included having a fire on a non-burn day, leaving a fire unattended and an industrial operation not having a permit, said Emmanuel. Twelve tickets were issued for unauthorized access to Crown land, she said.In terms of anything potentially criminal, New Brunswick RCMP spokesperson Matt Leblanc-Smith said the Mounties have not issued any tickets or conducted any investigations related to wildfires in the province this summer.ABOUT THE AUTHORJennifer Sweet has been telling the stories of New Brunswickers for over 20 years. She is originally from Bathurst, got her journalism degree from Carleton University and is based in Fredericton. She can be reached at 451-4176 or jennifer.sweet@cbc.ca.
People returning to N.B. woods with excitement and concern as wildfires continue
