Increasingly severe wildfire seasons pose a significant public safety risk in Newfoundland and Labrador, impacting daily operations in rural and remote areas, including crucial geoscience activities supporting the mining industry. Fires can render work areas inaccessible for safety reasons and sometimes lead to the diversion of aircraft meant for scientific fieldwork to assist in wildfire response efforts.
This situation presents challenges for scientific program directors in terms of planning, scheduling, and rearranging tasks. Despite these obstacles, the Energy and Mines Minister Lloyd Parrott affirmed that the geological survey work is progressing, even though the actual transportation spending for geophysical survey work in the province was $321,800 lower than budgeted due to reduced helicopter usage caused by wildfires.
Geological survey scientists utilize drones for some field programs but rely heavily on helicopters, especially in Labrador, for accessing remote areas. Disruptions in helicopter travel can occur due to adverse weather conditions and wildfires. Minister Parrott acknowledged that some helicopter resources supporting geoscience fieldwork have been redirected to wildfire suppression efforts this summer, but the impact has been less severe than in the previous year.
Despite these challenges, ongoing projects, including data collection for rare earth elements in southeastern Labrador and geophysical surveys in the White Bay area, are progressing. The Geological Survey of Newfoundland and Labrador currently has ten active field projects, with a focus on six areas in Newfoundland and four in Labrador, along with two planned airborne surveys using fixed-wing aircraft.
While the public geoscience work may not attract immediate attention, it holds immense value for the industry, with data collected aiding in driving investments, de-risking projects, informing land use decisions, and accelerating potential discoveries. The province has witnessed record-high private spending on exploration work, forecasted at $283.3 million for the year, demonstrating a growing interest in the region’s mineral resources.
Despite wildfire disruptions, industry players are adapting their field operations rather than halting projects altogether. Amanda McCallum, the executive director of Mining Industry N.L., emphasized the importance of continued support for public geoscience efforts, which contribute significantly to industry growth and investment.
Mining remains a key contributor to Newfoundland and Labrador’s GDP, with 11 active mines and an estimated 8,920 direct employees, including those involved in exploration work. While the wildfire risk level in the region is currently low, there are still active fires in parts of central and northern Labrador. The year has seen fewer fires compared to the previous year but with a larger total area burned.