Efforts on the Martin Lake fire in central Newfoundland is concentrating on spraying down cabins.

Thick smoke and excessive heat prevented ground crews from working on the fire yesterday, but weather conditions in the region are improving, with up to 20 mm of rain in the forecast.

The Bay D’Espoir Highway remains closed, leaving residents of the Connaigre Peninsula cut off from the rest of the island.

Faron Joe of Conne River works on the Miawpukek Horizon and has made arrangements to fly baby supplies into the community by float plane.

He says he jumped at the opportunity. He an a fellow youth member picked up a rental SUV, and “went around Walmart (in Grand Falls-Windsor) and we started loading up the carts and we packed the SUV full and took off for Thorburne Lake” to the waiting float plane.