20,000 people ready to flee as new fire roars south of Newfoundland’s largest city

ST. JOHN'S - About 20,000 people living on the outskirts of St. John's, N.L., were preparing to evacuate their homes and businesses Tuesday as a new wildfire burned near the province's largest city.

Premier John Hogan issued a precautionary evacuation alert late Monday for parts of two towns southwest of St. John's — Paradise and Conception Bay South. New alerts were issued Tuesday for Galway and Southlands, neighbourhoods on the western edge of the port city.