New Brunswick says people will once again be permitted to enter the woods and fish, camp, and hike, starting at midnight Monday night, although a provincial fire ban will remain in place.
On Aug. 10, the provincial government restricted access to public forested areas, closing many campgrounds and banning hiking, fishing, or driving in the woods, saying the rules were necessary to lower the risk of wildfires. It has now reversed most of the restrictions but is still urging those who enter the woods to exercise caution and not go near ongoing wildfires that are still being fought.
In announcing the end of most restrictions in an Aug. 25 news release, N.B. Premier Susan Holt thanked firefighters and rescue crews who have battled dozens of large wildfires in the province over the past several weeks.“A special thanks to the exceptional team at the provincial fire centre – and at command centres around the province – who are working long hours supporting the firefighters on the ground and the pilots in the air,” Holt said.
While most restrictions will end at midnight, a province-wide burn ban will remain, with Natural Resources Minister John Herron urging people to be cautious due to dry conditions and remain far from areas where crews are still battling wildfires.
“We’re asking all New Brunswickers to be safe and cautious when returning to the woods and to stay away from areas where firefighters are still actively fighting wildfires,” Herron said, noting that while forests are key to New Brunswick’s economy and lifestyle, if wildfires pick back up then restrictions may have to be put back in place.
New Brunswick put major restrictions on industry activity in forested areas on Aug. 8, extending the ban to recreational activities on Aug. 10 on public land. It urged private landowners and municipalities to also avoid allowing people or work to take place in forests.
Violations of the New Brunswick ban did not extend beyond its existing $140 fine for violating the open fire ban. Neighboring Nova Scotia put in place a ban Aug. 5, which is still in effect, imposing penalties of up to $25,000 for anyone breaking a ban on entering forested areas.
As New Brunswick’s ban is lifted, forestry work and logging will only be permitted from 6 p.m. until noon the next day in order for work not to take place during the driest and highest temperature times of the day, with the province saying the rules will be reevaluated each day. Municipalities are being permitted to make their own rules on whether to reopen trails and park areas.
So far in 2025, 293 wildfires have incinerated around 2,200 hectares of land, New Brunswick says, while last year the province had 224 fires that burned around 186 hectares of land. The province has a 10-year average of 215 wildfires per year.
As of Aug. 25, New Brunswick still has 18 active wildfires, three of which are listed as “out of control,” and an evacuation advisory still applies to residents of the Black River Bridge close to Miramichi.
