Barrington Lake fire “being held”

Firefighters dowse hotspots in the Shelburne County fire

Firefighters dowse hotspots in the Shelburne County fire. Photo Communications Nova Scotia

The fire at Barrington Lake in Shelburne is slowly coming under control and efforts are beginning to shift from emergency response to rebuilding a community.

Shelburne County East Emergency Management Office reported Tuesday that the fire is still out of control but is now being held which means it is not moving.

Several measures have been announced to help residents transition back into their homes or to help those whose homes were lost in the fire.

The federal and provincial governments have announced they will each match every dollar donated to the Red Cross so that any dollar donated equals three dollars.

The province of Nova Scotia is providing free well-water testing kits for people returning home and has just announced a one-time grant of $2,500 to registered farmers located in the mandatory evacuation zones in Halifax Regional Municipality and Shelburne County

Life is returning to normal for some students as several schools in the Shelburne and Barrington area are set to reopen Thursday.

Clark’s Harbour Elementary, Evelyn Richardson Memorial School, and the Lockeport Schools will open while Barrington Municipal High School, Forest Ridge Academy, Hillcrest Academy and Shelburne Regional High School will remain closed at least for the rest of this week.

The Shelburne County fire covers 23,411 hectares or 234 square kilometres.

Roughly 130 firefighters from the Department of Natural Resources and Renewables (DNRR) and more than 40 volunteer and municipal firefighters are responding.

Restrictions on travel and activities in the woods were lifted across Nova Scotia but remain in Shelburne County and anywhere evacuation orders are in place.

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Queens Cares Convoy brings relief to fire-stricken Shelburne County

Boxes are stuffed with donations for people displaced by Shelburne County wildfires

Donations overflow a trailer headed to support people displaced by the Shelburne County wildfires. Photo Amy MacGowan

Queens County is rallying to help fire-stricken Shelburne communities.

Brooklyn resident Amy MacGowan decided to collect donations of food and clothing to drive to the Shelburne Fire Hall on Tuesday.

Just three hours after making a post on Facebook the community stuffed her Chevy Equinox full of supplies and she was on her way.

MacGowan says the scene at the Shelburne Fire Hall was something to behold.

“I went down, I dropped all that stuff off. It’s heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time.”

Volunteers from the community and aid agencies were standing together to provide comfort to residents who have evacuated and don’t know if they have a home to go back to. MacGowan says a free store was set up in back of the hall, Red Cross workers were helping people register for relief aid and a semi-trailer was filled with water and sport drinks to keep firefighters hydrated on the fire line.

MacGowan decided she would make another supply run on Thursday.

With more notice people volunteered to drive and donations filled 12 vehicles and two trailers creating a Queens Cares Convoy. In addition to the supplies, $5,245 was donated in cash and gift cards.

MacGowan says the pantries in Shelburne are well stocked now and she began looking around to see what else was needed. She learned many of the firefighters are looking for supplies to help them stay on the line.

“They need band aids and foot cream and things like that because their feet are killing them. Their muscles are sore. So, at the end of the day, they just want to wrap up, put some stuff on their feet and go to sleep, get up and go do it again the next day,” said MacGowan. “And Vitamin water they said, was another thing that was on their list. Chocolate milk was another thing that was on their list because they’ve got tons of Gatorade and tons of water and they wanted something else to drink.”

MacGowan says some other items that are in demand include propane, flashlights, batteries, towels and toiletries. She plans to make another run down to Shelburne with more supplies next week.

Until then, donations can be dropped off at the Liverpool Fire Hall, Chamber of Commerce office (in the Work Evolved building), Ingrams Construction or Five Girls Bakery.

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Nova Scotia asks feds to send help now to fight fires

A water bomber flies through the smoke of a forest fire

A water bomber flies through the smoke of a forest fire in Shelburne County. Photo Communications Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston wants to ensure every bit of available help is coming to fight the largest forest fires in the province’s history.

A letter sent from the Premier’s office to the Prime Minister Wednesday lays out a long list of needs including military personnel and equipment, helicopters, vehicles and temporary housing for firefighters coming from out of province.

An update provided by the Department of Natural Resources and Renewables Thursday morning shows approximately 20,000 hectares are burning across 16, the largest wildfire is in Barrington Lake in Shelburne County at 18,173 hectares.

During Thursday’s briefing, Premier Houston said the list of requests included in the letter is not meant to be exhaustive.

He is asking the federal government to inform Nova Scotia of other supports that could be helpful instead of waiting for a request.

In the letter he states, “You know your resources best and know what can help in a situation like this. Given the seriousness, any other resources at the disposal of the Federal Government that we haven’t mentioned but could help, please send. We ask for your common sense and support. If we have used the wrong terminology in any of our asks, or there are issues with the format of the ask, please be proactive and help us assist struggling Nova Scotians as quickly as possible.”

Houston says he learned lessons from Hurricane Fiona in September of 2022 that he doesn’t want to see repeated in this emergency.

“Once we’d kind of been through the urgency of the crisis, in my discussions with the Prime Minister, he looked me in the eye at one point and said the Nova Scotia didn’t fill out the proper forms and that’s why the support hadn’t come as quickly. I of course disagreed with that assessment but suggested that even if that assessment were true, there’s a time to act and there’s a time to get more fulsome paperwork later, and there was a time to act and it was missed,” said Houston.

“So, with that experience in mind I was not willing to leave any room for a repeat when people’s houses were literally burning. So, we fill out the paperwork and we go through the channels but at the same time it’s my hope that the Prime Minister and members of cabinet, members of parliaments recognize that there’s a time for action and the time for action is right now.”

The Premier’s letter also looks ahead for ways the federal government can support Nova Scotia once the fires are out.

The province is looking for early access to federal disaster relief funding through the Disaster Financial Assistance Agreement, and commitments to match Red Cross donations and rebuild critical infrastructure.

Houston also asks for Ottawa to provide a temporary leave benefit to assist people unable to work because of being displaced or firefighters taking time from their jobs.

The Premier said in a normal year Nova Scotia would face fewer than 100 wildfires. This year there have already been 196 and counting.

He said the increase in number and size of the fires has overwhelmed provincial resources well beyond what they are normally prepared to fight.

While thousands of people have been displaced, Houston says the situation could be much worse if not for the bravery and dedication of everyone involved.

“We’ve never faced wildfires like this before and we have them all at the same time. I think the remarkable thing that people should not lose sight of is zero missing people. Zero reported deaths. Zero serious injury. I mean, that says a lot about the response,” said Houston.

Fire crews are fighting a forecast calling for dry conditions and temperatures in the 30-degree Celsius range Thursday.

A reprieve may be on the way as Environment Canada is calling for showers to begin overnight Friday and rain continuing to fall over the weekend through Tuesday.

A team of Nova Scotia firefighters is expected to return from the Northwest Territories to join the effort this weekend.

The province has already received support from other provinces in the form of water bombers from Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick and firefighting personnel from Prince Edward Island.

Another press briefing is scheduled for Thursday afternoon to provide an update on how the firefighting efforts are proceeding.

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Premier orders Nova Scotians out of the woods as fires burn out of control

A man in silhouette against a map showing Nova Scotia forest fire

A fire official looks at area affected by fire. Photo Communications Nova Scotia

The Nova Scotia Government has banned all activity in wooded areas across the province.

Premier Tim Houston announced the measures which include all recreational and commercial activity during an update on Tuesday.

Houston said some commercial exceptions may be issued, but permission must be granted by the Department of Natural Resources and Renewables.

The province has already issued a full burn ban across Nova Scotia until June 25 and Halifax had banned all off-highway vehicles from their trails.

Houston said six illegal fires were reported Monday night and people need to follow the ban, for everyone’s safety.

“Six illegal burns reported just last night is just mind-boggling. So, no burning. For God’s sake, stop burning, stop flicking your cigarette butts out your car window, just stop it. Our resources are stretched incredibly thin right now fighting existing fires,” said Houston.

Manager of Forest Protection with the Department of Natural Resources and Renewables Scott Tingley confirmed the fires raging across the province are beyond the department’s capacity.

“These fires are beyond our resource capacity and that’s why we’re prioritizing resources and that’s why they remain out of control. That’s why we continue to ask for help and bring in additional resources,” said Tingley. “This is unfortunately, the nature of emergency response.”

Tingley says the province has already had 195 fires burning 13,000 hectares this year.

There are currently 13 active wildfires, eight of those started Monday and three are out of control.

The forest fires in Tantallon and Shelburne are having an impact on Queens.

As of Tuesday, the fire in neighbouring Shelburne County is still out of control, burning over 10,000 hectares.

Department of Natural Resources and Renewables has dispatched 50 DNRR firefighters and three helicopters to the fire, joined by 40 local volunteer firefighters and two water bombers from Newfoundland and Labrador.

Region of Queens Mayor Darlene Norman says the municipality will be offering the use of the South Shore Regional Airport to the DNRR helicopters.

Norman says that would save the helicopters from making the almost 400km round trip to Debert where they currently refuel.

A fuel tanker will need to be brought to the site as the fuel used by South Shore Flying Club members isn’t compatible with the water bombing helicopters.

DNRR is already using the airport to support and refuel the smaller fire watch prop planes.

Norman says while Queens has been unaffected by fires so far, she is still concerned.

“Rivers are at end of August levels,” said Norman. “Lakes are low, woods are dry; exceptionally, exceptionally dry, dry terrain.”

Norman says she’s been getting calls from people requesting the Region close all municipal parks as a precaution.

Those are included under the provincial ban and are now off limits.

Norman says she agrees with those measures and asks Queens residents to refrain from taking any chances.

“The least spark. The hot exhaust. There’s so much that can trigger a fire with this dryness. I ask that people who smoke, I don’t believe any cars come with ashtrays in them anymore. So perhaps, just keep a bottle of water with a cap on it in your car to put your cigarette butts in,” said Norman.

Provincial officials are warning the smoke from the fires can seriously affect the air quality in surrounding areas.

Residents are being told to close windows and doors, especially at night when the cooler air and clear skies allow the smoke to travel further.

While not as serious as an out-of-control fire, several businesses and organizations reported losing their internet connection on Monday, affecting point of sale payments, access to online business software and the ability to communicate to clients through e-mail and social media.

The South Shore Regional Centre for Education is also reporting issues with tracking absences through their Powerschool software that could result in a false notification of a student absence.

Installation of a new self-registration system at Queens General Hospital also had to be postponed.

The internet connection appears to have been restored by later in the day.

The province has also established a text line to help people cope with the stress of the fires.

Nova Scotians can text HOPENS to 393939 to receive supportive text messages that are aimed at helping develop healthy personal coping skills and resiliency.

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Nova Scotia bans burning due to extremely dry conditions

A map of Nova Scotia shows the whole province in a red, no burning zone

NS Burn Ban Map from novascotia/burnsafe website

It appears a burn ban in place across Nova Scotia will remain in effect for the near future.

According to a spokesperson from the Department of Natural Resources and Renewables, drought-like conditions over the past two weeks have left the forest floor extremely dry.

Wildfire Prevention Officer Kara McCurdy says due to a combination of high temperatures and wind and low humidity the smallest spark could set off a forest fire.

“Don’t have any fires period, whether it be campfire or brush burning. Being careful where you place anything hot. Like, if you’re welding, don’t weld in dry vegetation. If you’re running an all-terrain vehicle that you make sure to clear the exhaust off frequently because stuff accumulates around that and can get hot and drop,” said McCurdy. “Even camping, if you’re walking in the woods don’t discard any cigarettes, don’t play with matches or lighters.”

Environment Canada has issued an extreme heat warning for Nova Scotia and is forecasting temperatures into the high 20s until next week.

There is a chance of showers over that time, however, McCurdy says they likely won’t be enough to lower the fire hazard.

“But it’s not enough to really impact wetting the fuels down in the forest,” We’ll probably leave the ban in place until we get significant rain, which is a continued amount of rain of 20mm plus.

McCurdy says a few days of steady rain is key to preventing forest fires.

“A lot of the rain that comes from thunder cells will just quickly run off,” said McCurdy. “The ground is so hard now from being dry for so long that it’s just going to drain off really quick.”

McCurdy says there have been seven new forest fires of varying sizes across Nova Scotia over the past week.

Several of those are the result of campfires being left unattended or from people clearing their properties by burning the brush.

Crews are working to get a 1-hectare fire in Cumberland County under control.

She says people need to pay attention to the burn ban to safeguard the forests, their property, fire crews and themselves against fire.

Burn restrictions are updated on the novascotia.ca/burnsafe web page everyday at 2:00pm.

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Yarmouth wildfire mostly contained

A helicopter is unloaded in a field

A DNNR helicopter is unloaded in a field near the South Horseshoe Lake fire. Photo Communications Nova Scotia

Crews battling the forest fire near South Horseshoe Lake in Yarmouth appear to be getting it under control.

A statement from the Department of Natural Resources and Renewables released Thursday evening indicates the fire is 60 percent contained.

What started as a 25 hectare fire when firefighting teams arrived on-site Monday grew to over 3,100 hectares by Wednesday.

DNRR expressed concerns Thursday afternoon about the potential for the fire to spread due to dry conditions.

But just hours later, DNRR officials announced firefighting crews made up of two helicopters, one water bomber and 40 DNRR personnel were able to keep the fire from spreading past 3,100 hectares.

Officials have yet to determine the cause of the fire.

As a result of the ongoing dry conditions the entire province is under burning restrictions.

Yarmouth, Shelburne and Queens counties currently have a full burn ban in place.

DNRR firefighters will continue efforts to extinguish the fire on Friday.

Reported by Ed Halverson 
E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson

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Yarmouth forest fire triples in size

Water bomber dropping its load on part of a wildfire near South Horseshoe Lake, Yarmouth County

Water bomber dropping its load on part of a wildfire near South Horseshoe Lake, Yarmouth County, Photo: Communications Nova Scotia

Provincial officials say the forest fire in Yarmouth County tripled in size and is burning out of control.

A statement from the Department of Natural Resources and Renewables says the fire grew from 1,000 to 3,100 hectares on Tuesday, spreading from South Horseshoe Lake west, in the direction of Rushy Lake.

Map showing the distance between South Horseshoe Lake and Rushy Lake

Distance between South Horseshoe Lake and Rushy Lake. Photo Google Maps

Natural Resources and Renewables Minister Tory Rushton says, “Conditions are still adverse, so the fire may continue to spread. However, at this time, we do not see it reaching communities and the province’s response is being managed by highly trained professionals and fire crew members who are ready to respond at a moment’s notice to keep us safe in case of emergency.”

Since Monday, the contingent fighting the wildfire has grown to include 40 provincial fire crew members, two helicopters and a water bomber sent from Newfoundland and Labrador.

Officials says Tuesday’s wind and low humidity are driving the spread of the fire.

Air quality alerts have been issued for Yarmouth and residents are asked to keep windows closed.

Conditions continue to stay very dry across the province, and a burn ban remains in place for Queens, Shelburne and Yarmouth counties.

DNRR will provide regular updates on the Yarmouth forest fire on their Twitter feed today.

The cause of the fire remains unknown.

Reported by Ed Halverson 
E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson

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Water bomber called in to fight growing forest fire in Yarmouth

Smoke from a forest fire can be seen from a helicopter above the fire

Yarmouth forest fire seen from DNRR helicopter. Photo Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and Renewables

A water bomber from Newfoundland and Labrador has joined Nova Scotia’s ground and air crews to fight an out-of-control wildfire near Horseshoe Lake, Yarmouth County.

Ground crews pulled back as the CL-415 bomber dropped water until dark Tuesday night.

The fire has grown quickly with Department of Natural Resources and Renewables estimates increasing from 50 hectares Tuesday morning to over 1,000 hectares that night.

The water bomber joins two helicopters and 12 provincial fire crew members from Shelburne and Yarmouth counties who have been fighting the wildfire since Monday.

DNRR officials say winds and low humidity are factors in the spread of the fire.

Yarmouth area residents are encouraged to keep their windows closed as smoke from the growing fire has prompted air quality alerts.

Conditions are very dry across the province, and a burn ban is in place for Queens, Shelburne and Yarmouth counties.

Nova Scotians should check burn restrictions online or call the toll-free phone line at 1-855-564-2876 (BURN) before starting a fire.

DNRR will be providing regular updates on the Yarmouth forest fire on their Twitter feed.

Reported by Ed Halverson 
E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson

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