Peat fire in Foxley River area of western P.E.I. fully controlled around perimeter

Crews working to extinguish a fire at a peat bog operation in Foxley River, P.E.I., successfully directed the fire towards the ocean on Wednesday. 

In an emailed update from the provincial government, a spokesperson said that 100 per cent of the fire had been controlled around its perimeter as of Wednesday afternoon. 

"Crews have made a lot of progress in reducing risk of spread outside perimeter lines," the statement read. 

It also said that crews have secured a source of water, so the Lennox Island and Tyne Valley fire departments are on longer on the site. 

The fire began Monday afternoon at Gulf Island Peat Moss, north of Tyne Valley. 

There are no structures in the area, and officials say they're working to keep the fire from spreading to the nearby forest.

Mike Montigny, field services manager with P.E.I.'s forests, fish and wildlife division, said Tuesday that putting out a fire in a peat bog is challenging. 

"The vegetation will continue to burn, smoulder," he said. "We put water on it, it will hide itself for a bit, and it will pop back up." 

Gulf Island Peat Moss is actively harvesting about 400 hectares of bog.

It's a wholly owned subsidiary of Annapolis Valley Peat Moss Co. Ltd., with 1,000 hectares of land that includes a four-kilometre stretch of shoreline along the Gulf of St. Lawrence.