Bob Robichaud, Meteorologist, Environment and Climate Change Canada. Screen capture from Communications Nova Scotia Zoom conference Aug 24, 2023

The province is warning Nova Scotians now is the time to prepare for an active hurricane season.

Officials from Environment Canada, Nova Scotia Power, the Red Cross and the province’s Emergency Management Office gathered together Thursday to announce an information campaign designed to inform Nova Scotians on how to ready themselves for the upcoming season.

Meteorologist Bob Robichaud says the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is predicting 14 to 21 named storms, six to 10 hurricanes and two to five major hurricanes before the end of the year.

Robichaud says those numbers are higher than initially predicted in May and include storm activity across the entire Atlantic Ocean.

“It doesn’t necessarily mean that a lot of those storms will approach Atlantic Canada or have any kind of impact on Nova Scotia but we always have to be ready for that one or two storms that might impact us,” said Robichaud.

As an example, Robichaud pointed to Hurricane Fiona and the damage it caused in September of 2022.

Robichaud was asked about Hurricane Franklin and says it is currently about 1,200km southwest of Bermuda, tracking northeast. It’s expected to reach category 2 status as it moves north over the weekend.

As of Thursday, modelling shows the hurricane will track south of Nova Scotia but Robichaud says even if it does turn towards the province it won’t be anywhere close to the power of Fiona.

He encourages people to follow trusted weather forecasting sites to get information about impending storms.

Operations Manager with the Canadian Red Cross of Nova Scotia, Ancel Langille says it’s important for families to have an emergency plan and kit ready ahead of storm season.

“Your kit should include things that will make a stay away from home more comfortable for you and your family,” said Langille. “Things like clothing, medications, if you have children some toys and games, if you have pets prepare a kit for them as well with the leash, some food, water, medications for them, a pet carrier [is] something great to have on hand. If you have a vehicle, make sure it’s full of gas before the storm arrives and it’s always great to have some cash on hand.”

Langille added if there is time, it’s a good idea to take photos or videos of the rooms of your house before you need to evacuate so you have a record to provide to your insurance company.

John Lohr, the minister responsible for emergency management in Nova Scotia says the province works closely with municipalities through the provincial control centre in times of emergency.

Lohr says the province is preparing for the upcoming Hurricane Season.

“And I would like to encourage all Nova Scotians to take some time now before a storm or weather warning is issued to our region to do the same,” said Lohr. “Before an event happens is a good time to sit down with your family and talk things over, check to see what may need to be done around your house or cottage make a plan and prepare.”

The province will be running an information campaign across social and traditional media over the next four weeks.

Updates and tips from Nova Scotia’s emergency management office are available at their website: https://novascotia.ca/Alerts

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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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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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