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Police close highway as Labrador forest fire continues to burn

July 4, 2013, Wabush, N.L. – Police in western Labrador closed a section of the Trans-Labrador Highway as a forest fire continued to rage out of control Thursday near the community of Wabush.

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary says it was discontinuing escorts of traffic along Route 500 until further notice.

Police say the safety measure was taken to allow emergency crews to battle flames in the area.

Poor visibility kept ground crews from fighting the fire, which has caused a state of emergency to remain in effect in Wabush.

Six helicopters were used to attack the blaze earlier Thursday, while two water bombers remain on the ground and another is being flown in from Goose Bay to join the effort.

An advisory issued by the town of Wabush says there had been no significant change to the fire that has been burning for more than a week.

A voluntary evacuation order was issued that caused most of the town's residents to leave their homes last weekend, but that has since been lifted.

The fire has destroyed about 700 square kilometres of land since it began.