CBC Newfoundland & Labrador

Iona Strachan, originally from Happy Valley-Goose Bay, left Yellowknife with her daughters, pets and friend before the evacuation order was implemented. The family is on the road in northern Alberta, hoping to reach either Calgary or Edmonton. · "When [my friend] Marie and I started chatting about possibly leaving, regardless of whether there was an evacuation order or not, the smoke rolled in really heavy that day. And it created a really eerie, orange looking sky. And the visibility was really, really poor," Strachan told CBC News from the road Thursday. · "At that point it was within 30 kilometres outside of the city. And then the next day, it had moved.… I remember being quite shocked at how fast it was moving." · Strachan said her family is nervous but holding up as they leave their home. They were hoping to go back to Labrador to be with family, she said, but demand is high and flights are too expensive. Strachan said she's experienced forest fires in Labrador and Yellowknife before but this situation is unlike anything she's ever seen. · "The fires were never as close to Yellowknife as it was this time," she said. "All I hope for is safe passage for everybody else." · Interview: Anthony Germain/CBC NL

The owner of two Portuguese fishing vessels afflicted by COVID-19 outbreaks two years ago says it shouldn't have to pay for medical costs incurred to treat ill crew members while the ships were anchored in Newfoundland waters. · Earlier this year, Eastern Health sued the two vessels and their owner to recover more than $1 million in unpaid medical expenses. · Antonio Conde & Companhia SA filed a statement of defence at Federal Court this week, asking for the lawsuit to be dismissed. · The company — based in Aveiro, Portugal — denies that it agreed to pay the regional health authority for the provision of medical services to sick crew members. · "The plaintiff was advised that all invoices and requests for payment should be directed to the health authorities in Portugal, and/or the private health insurers of crew members," the court filings note. · The company also contends that "the provision of medical services to sick crew members at a hospital operated by a provincial health authority is not a matter under or by virtue of Canadian maritime law." · Eastern Health's lawsuit, filed in January, cited the Marine Liability Act. · In the summer of 2021, the Princesa Santa Joana spent over two weeks in Conception Bay. There were more than 30 COVID-19 cases confirmed aboard, and one crew member was ultimately diagnosed with tuberculosis. · Another ship, the Santa Cristina, anchored in Bay Bulls around the same time, with four confirmed COVID-19 cases. · Antonio Conde & Companhia SA owns both vessels. · In court filings earlier this year, the health authority says it was asked to provide medical care to crew members of the ships who were suspected to be infected. · One person aboard the Santa Cristina spent a total of 128 days in hospital, with medical costs topping $615,000, and crew members from the Princesa Santa Joana incurred more than $414,000 in medical services, Eastern Health said in court filings. · The health authority is seeking the sum of those amounts — more than $1 million — plus costs. · At this point, none of the claims made by either side have been tested in court. · Story and reporting: Rob Antle/CBC NL

The wildfires in Yellowknife are "unprecedented," according to Premier Caroline Cochrane. · 22,000 people have been ordered to evacuate · As of Wednesday, the highway from Yellowknife to Alberta was safe to drive. · People who cannot leave by road, and residents who are immunocompromised or have other conditions that put them at higher risk, are asked to register for evacuation flights. Air evacuations are scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. Thursday. · "The window of opportunity right now is going to allow us to evacuate everybody safely," Environment Minister Shane Thompson said, adding, "we need you to do it now," because the fire threatens both air and road access. · Reporting: Sara Minogue

Tiffany Elton is stuck with her 776-square-foot home in central St. John's. She can't live in it, she can't sell it for someone to occupy, and without an affordable builder and money for a costly teardown, she has few options. · Elton purchased the home on Summer Street in July 2020 for $168,000. The following spring, she discovered an opening at the front of her house which led her down a frustrating fact-finding mission that still hasn't concluded. · A CBC News investigation in January 2022 revealed Elton's home was originally a double-car garage that had been in a fire and rebuilt as a home by covering up the charred walls with new drywall. · The property was sold as a home years before, despite the city having never inspected the property following its conversion. It had exchanged hands multiple times since the 1980s, and the city had been collecting property tax on what it considered to be a residential property. · After Elton alerted the city to the problem, she was handed a long list of fine notices. The property doesn't have an occupancy certificate and now cannot be lived in. · "I need it torn down. I think the city should have to tear it down because they're the ones who got me in this mess," Elton said. · The city denied the request and said it didn't fall under the criteria it sets out for demolition, including when a property is condemned or becomes a public nuisance. · "My city has been dragging me through [this] for three years and, I feel like, treating me like I am at fault when I did not do this, and it feels nefarious. It feels like they're sticking me with this when it was their mistakes," Elton said. · The cost to tear down 11 Summer St. is around $20,000. · · Reporting and story: Ariana Kelland/CBC NL

A low-cost carrier that recently began flying out of St. John's has left some travellers frustrated and looking for explanations — and compensation. · Ryan Piercey of Clarenville went to Montreal last week with his girlfriend for a Metallica concert. · They left St. John's on Aug. 9 via Lynx Air, a Calgary-based carrier that serves parts of the United States and Canada and began flying out of St. John's International Airport in June. · He received an email last Friday that said their flight home had been cancelled and the only alternative was four days later. · Over the weekend, Piercey said, they tried to speak with a Lynx representative only to find out that there was no call centre service on the weekends. They headed to the airport, where the representative said the flight had been cancelled because of crew issues but he couldn't do anything for the stranded couple, as he was only there for check-in. · "So we were kind of stranded and not knowing what to do," said Piercey. · Piercey and his girlfriend booked another flight. The new travel arrangements cost about $1,600, he said, but Lynx will compensate them only for the cancelled flight — just over $500. · He said he asked to speak with a supervisor but was denied, and was referred to Lynx's website to file a claim. · The head of a group of volunteers who help travellers understand their rights says what Lynx offered Piercey and Wyse wasn't good enough." · If there is a flight cancellation by a small carrier, Gábor Lukács of Air Passenger Rights said, the carrier has to provide the passenger with a meal, accommodations, and transportation if the flight is cancelled less than 12 hours before the scheduled departure. · And when it comes to business or operational cancellations, he said, the airline is also supposed to provide "$500 per passenger lump sum compensation." · "But offering a passenger next flight in four days? That's unreasonable," he said. · Lynx Air declined an interview request from CBC News. In a statement, the airline apologized to St. John's passengers affected by cancellations, which it blamed on flight crew shortages. · Reporting: Talia Kliot Story: Sarah Antle

As the new school year approaches, international students in St. John's are struggling to find housing. · Reporting by Arlette Lazarenko/CBC, video by Danny arsenault/CBC #cbcnl

There's no mistaking the message: Fogo Islanders do not want changes to their police force. · About 300 people gathered at the arena in the centre of the island Thursday night for a peaceful demonstration organized by town council. · Speakers, including politicians, emergency service personnel and those with personal stories, stressed the need to keep police patrol on the island — and within its nine communities — as is. · "To have the officers here on the island, it means so much," said retiree Gail Lush. "You know, drinking and driving and speeding.… The security that I once had by retiring back here is whittling away." · The RCMP says it has no plans to close the detachment permanently. The police force would not do an interview, but in a statement said it is experiencing pressure with recruitment. · "We must adapt to ensure the police officers we do have are placed where they need to be to best respond to crime and calls for service from communities," says the statement. · "Any potential resource changes are to be considered temporary, as we continue our recruitment efforts to fill vacancies on our front lines, and will be done only with measures in place to ensure public safety." · Read more at the link in our bio. · Photo by Troy Turner/CBC #cbcnl

On Tuesday, an RCAF helicopter crew flew 380km over the Atlantic to rescue a fishing vessel passenger in medical distress. • Video via Halifax JRCC CCCOS on X. #cbcnl #rescue

A group of cruise passengers faced RDF when they stopped in St. John's on Thursday. The CBC's Talia Kliot asked them about their visit. · Video by Danny Arsenault/CBC #cbcnl

Staff at animal rescues in N.L. say the high cost of living and pandemic buyer's remorse have led to a spike in surrenders and strays. · Reporting by Sarah Blackmore/CBC, video by Danny Arsenault/CBC #cbcnl #animalrescue

A man is dead after an industrial accident Thursday morning at N.L. Hydro's Holyrood terminal station. · In a statement, the Crown corporation confirmed a "serious workplace incident" that resulted in the death of an employee. · "We are sending our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of our colleague during this difficult time," the statement reads. · "This is a sad day for our Hydro family. It is a day that we never want to face and one that will be with us for the rest of our lives." · N.L. Hydro declined an interview and said it will share more information at a later date. The statement didn't provide any details about the circumstances of the accident or any details about the employee. · Read more at the link in our bio.

Newfoundland and Labrador's Pharmacy Board has banned a St. John's pharmacist from practising in the province for five years for professional misconduct and ethics violations involving two patients from 2007 to 2019. · The ban follows the board's investigation of Susan Gillingham, the pharmacist-in-charge at the Shoppers Drug Mart on LeMarchant Road over an allegation filed in January 2020. · In a June 23 decision released on the board's website, according to an agreed statement of facts jointly submitted by Gillingham and the board, Gillingham had a "personal relationship" with a patient of the pharmacy between 2007 and 2019, while she was involved in his care. · Gillingham provided the patient methadone but didn't properly document the provision of doses and in some cases didn't witness the patient taking the methadone, as required by board standards for opioid treatment. · Several times, according to the statement, Gillingham left the patient's methadone on his doorstep or with a family member, or in a lockbox for him to retrieve. · The statement of facts also says Gillingham had a personal relationship with a second patient of the pharmacy in 2019 while she was involved in his care. · Read this story at the link in our bio. · #cbcnl