Halifax-area wildfire 50 per cent contained as crews deal with record heat in forecast
A wildfire that began burning in the Upper Tantallon, N.S., area Sunday and forced the evacuation of thousands of residents is now 50 per cent contained.
Dave Steeves with the Department of Natural Resources and Renewables said that Thursday’s heat and low humidity made for a challenging day of firefighting in the Tantallon area.
“That is giving way to some relatively extreme forest fire activity. Our crews are busy chasing flare ups and smokes,” Steeves said during Thursday afternoon’s news conference, adding that crews are focused on protecting structures in the area.
Three firefighters with Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency work to put out fires in the Tantallon-area. (Courtesy: Communications Nova Scotia)
Bob Robichaud, meteorologist with Environment Canada, said “today was the day we were worried about” due to the high temperatures in the low 30s C.
The meteorologist said these conditions lead to something called “crossover,” which is when the temperature is higher in degrees celsius than the relative per cent humidity. This is considered an indicator of extremely high fire risk.
“We are seeing a number of locations where that is happening today across the province,” Robichaud said.
While weather is expected to remain warm overnight, Friday is expected to bring humidity and cooler air.
“In terms of rainfall, which we really, really need right now, there could be some showers developing in the afternoon hours,” Robichaud said.
Sustained rainfall is not expected until Friday afternoon.
"If we can get past this period, we have some precipitation on the way that we're looking forward to, so our fingers are crossed that we're going to receive that precipitation and help us a little bit. We need Mother Nature to get on side with us,” Steeves said.
Halifax Fire deputy chief David Meldrum said the rain is only one variable at play in the decision to allow people to return to their homes.
Residents of the Indigo Shores area were allowed back to their homes Wednesday night after an evacuation order was rescinded.
“We will open more,” Meldrum said. “But we will do it in a controlled manner, and in a manner that ensures the safety of our residents.”
Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency firefighter Zach Rafuse from Port Williams works to put out fires in the Tantallon, N.S. area. (Courtesy: Communications Nova Scotia)
Meldrum added fire officials have completed their audit of the damaged and destroyed buildings in the Tantallon area, though he did not have exact numbers Thursday morning.
He also stressed the importance of residents registering with 311 so municipal staff can get in contact with them with information about their homes.
As of Thursday afternoon, firefighters on scene include 40 from DNRR, six from Prince Edward Island, 117 from the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) and nine from Department of National Defence.
DNRR says there are also three helicopters and one water bomber from Newfoundland and Labrador.
EVACUATION ORDERS
Evacuation orders are still in place for residents in the following communities:
- Westwood subdivision, Upper Tantallon
- Whitehills subdivision, Hammonds Plains
- Highland Park subdivision, Yankeetown
- Haliburton Hills
- Pockwock Road
- Glen Arbour
- Lucasville Road to Sackville Drive
- Maplewood
- Voyageur Way
- St George Boulevard, including all side streets
- McCabe Lake area
An updated evacuation map for the Halifax-area due to wildfires. (Source: Halifax Regional Municipality)
EVACUATION CENTRE
The Canada Games Centre evacuation centre at 26 Thomas Raddall Dr. is open until further notice.
Nova Scotia Health’s mobility primary care clinic is hosting another drop-in clinic at the center from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The HRM says major insurance companies will again be available to speak with affected residents from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
COMFORT CENTRES
The following comfort centres are open Thursday:
- Black Point and Area Community Centre at 8579 St Margarets Bay Rd. will be open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Beaver Bank Kinsac Community Centre at 1583 Beaver Bank Rd. will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
SCHOOLS
The Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE) says the following schools are closed Thursday:
- Bay View High School
- Tantallon Junior Elementary
- Tantallon Senior Elementary
- Five Bridges Junior High
- St. Margaret’s Bay Elementary
- Kingswood Elementary
- Charles P. Allen High School
- Basinview Drive Community School
- Bedford South School
- Harry R. Hamilton Elementary
- Millwood Elementary
- Millwood High School
- Sackville Heights Elementary
- Sackville Heights Junior High
HRCE also says Hammonds Plains Consolidated and Madeline Symonds Middle School will remain closed for the rest of the week.
POWER
As of 9 a.m. Thursday, more than 3,000 Nova Scotia Power customers in the Upper Tantallon and Hammonds Plains areas remain without electricity.
TRANSIT ROUTES
The HRM says the following Halifax Transit routes continue to be affected Thursday:
- Route 330 will start and end at Sheldrake Lake -- 3826 St Margarets Bay Rd. There will be no service to the Tantallon Park and Ride located at 3664 Hammonds Plains Rd.
- Route 433 will start and end at the West Bedford Park and Ride located at 120 Innovation Dr. There will be no service on Hammonds Plains Road from Gary Martin Drive to Tantallon Park and Ride.
- Route 83/183 will end on Crossfield Ridge in Middle Sackville, N.S. The HRM says the bus will then turn right on Sackville Drive and right onto Melham Drive. Routes 83/183 will hold on Melham Drive before departing, heading back to the Sackville Transit Terminal at 7 Walker Ave.
FIRE WEBPAGE
The Nova Scotia government continues to update its new webpage with the latest emergency alerts and resource information about wildfires in the province.
For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Tropical fish stolen from Beachburg, Ont. restaurant found and returned
Ontario Provincial Police have landed a suspect following a fishy theft in Beachburg, Ont.
U.S. FAA launches investigation into unauthorized personnel in cockpit of Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto
The U.S.’s Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a video that appears to show unauthorized personnel in the cockpit of a charted Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto.