The Monsignor McCarthy Council 5902 in Carbonear has been recognised on the world stage for a quiet but crucial act of community service during the devastating 2025 wildfire season.
Local camp turned refuge for crews
At the Knights of Columbus’ 144th Supreme Convention in Denver, Council 5902 received the International Community Program Award for opening Camp McCarthy to volunteer firefighters who travelled to Conception Bay North to battle the blaze that threatened nearby Kingston last August.
The decision to throw open camp facilities came as smoke and flames were consuming large swaths of the province and teams from other jurisdictions were arriving to help. More than 45 council members spent weeks preparing hot meals, providing accommodations and organising supplies for visiting crews.
"Camp McCarthy became home to volunteer firefighters who had travelled to the area to fight the fire."
Scale of the 2025 season
The award comes amid another severe wildfire season across Canada. As of Aug. 6 of this year, officials recorded roughly 4,500 fires that had burned about 3.9 million hectares, with more than 100 fires remaining out of control. The memory of last summer’s local emergency remains fresh in communities along Conception Bay North.
In early August 2025, residents of Kingston and neighbouring settlements were ordered to evacuate while aircraft and ground crews worked to halt the blaze. Camp McCarthy served as a support hub for those efforts: council volunteers prepared meals, distributed necessary supplies and collected donations from neighbouring councils and community organisations to ensure crews had equipment and water.
- More than 45 council members helped at Camp McCarthy.
- The council delivered 500 bottles of water to frontline responders.
- The local wildfire reached an estimated 10,095 hectares by Aug. 21, 2025.
- Evacuation orders for Kingston and nearby communities were lifted on Aug. 28, 2025.
Recognition at international convention
The International Community Program Award was presented during the Supreme Knight’s Award Session at the convention, which drew more than 2,100 Knights, Catholic clergy and guests from 13 countries. Other honours given included a Faith Award to a Ukrainian council and a Family Award to another recipient, underscoring the global scope of the Knights’ charitable work.
For Monsignor McCarthy Council 5902, the accolade is an affirmation of a longstanding tradition in Newfoundland and Labrador: neighbours pitching in when disaster strikes. The council’s act was practical and immediate — opening beds, firing up stoves, and ferrying supplies to crews exhausted from days of containment work.
What this means for communities
Local emergency response depends on a patchwork of professional services, volunteers and community groups. The Carbonear council’s efforts are an example of how civic organisations can amplify official responses by meeting the basic logistical needs — food, rest and hydration — that keep wildfire crews operating safely and effectively during extended campaigns.
While the award honours a single council, it also highlights a lesson for coastal towns and rural communities across the province: existing community assets, like camps and halls, can become critical infrastructure in emergencies when governments and agencies are stretched thin.
| Key figures | Details |
|---|---|
| Council volunteers | More than 45 |
| Bottles of water delivered | 500 |
| Local fire size (Aug. 21, 2025) | 10,095 hectares (estimated) |
| National fires (by Aug. 6) | ~4,500 fires, ~3.9 million hectares burned |
For residents who lived through the evacuation and those who helped, the award is a formal nod to the informal networks that sustain towns in crisis. It’s a reminder, too, that the work of firefighting does not end at the tree line; it extends into kitchens, bunkhouses and the small acts of kindness that keep crews nourished and ready.
As wildfires and smoke continue to be a pressing concern nationally, local recognition of volunteer efforts offers a measure of pride — and a practical blueprint for other communities considering how to bolster their capacity when the next emergency hits.
