On the evening of Friday, July 12, 2024, a fast-moving wildfire forced over 9,600 residents of Labrador City to evacuate. In the days that followed, a coordinated humanitarian effort that spanned a multitude of government departments, organizations and community partners helped to safely manage the largest evacuation in Newfoundland and Labrador history.

As part of the emergency response, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador provided more than $3.5 million in disaster funding relief through one-time financial assistance to individual households, businesses, and other entities, including:

• More than $3 million to over 3,000 households whose primary residence was under evacuation order.
• About $180,000 to more than 360 employed and self-employed residents of Labrador City and Wabush whose employment was impacted by the wildfires.
• $150,000 to 72 eligible businesses in Labrador City and Wabush that were impacted by the wildfires.

Those residents and/or businesses that were impacted by the Labrador wildfires are advised that the disaster relief programs for all one-time financial assistance supports offered through the Departments of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills; Industry, Energy and Technology; and Justice and Public Safety have now concluded.

Submitted applications continue to be processed by the Canadian Red Cross and relevant government departments, and funds will continue to be dispersed to all eligible individuals.

Any eligible residents and/or businesses who have not yet received their funding should receive it in the coming days as the processing of applications is finalized.

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