Charlottetown, August 21, 2025 — The Europe Today: Fire departments across Prince Edward Island are urging residents to remain vigilant, as dry conditions continue to pose significant wildfire risks. On Wednesday, crews responded to three separate fires on the Island, including blazes in Charlottetown’s Beach Grove area and Wellington.
In Charlottetown, Deputy Fire Chief Kent Mitchell said a discarded cigarette likely sparked a fire that consumed nearly 1,000 square feet of wooded area before being contained. Four fire trucks and an off-road vehicle were deployed to access the difficult terrain.
“We want to encourage people to honour the fire ban that the province issued two weeks ago. Please do not discard cigarettes unnecessarily in the woods,” Mitchell said, stressing that it will take “a few good rains” before conditions improve.
Mitchell added that light winds helped stop the Beach Grove fire from spreading further, but emphasized that wooded areas remain highly flammable and present serious challenges for firefighters.
Meanwhile, in Wellington, a fire in a straw field nearly spread to nearby forest land. The blaze began when a piece of farm equipment caught fire, quickly igniting the freshly cut grain. Crews from Wellington, Miscouche, and Tyne Valley battled the fast-moving flames.
“The fire was running not just from the machine that was on fire, but into the freshly cut grain and straw — and it was spreading very fast,” said Desmond Arsenault, spokesperson for the Wellington Fire Department. “In the end, just before we got it, I’m telling you it was less than two feet away from the treeline.”
Arsenault noted that the heavy water-loaded hoses and strong winds made firefighting efforts particularly difficult.
Officials are reminding Islanders that the provincial fire ban remains in effect and that any lapse in caution could result in dangerous wildfires.
