More Halifax residents can return home Friday after wildfires
Many Tantallon residents who were evacuated due to wildfires that destroyed 151 homes in the area will be permitted to return home Friday, the Halifax Regional Municipality said.
Mayor Mike Savage said Halifax residents should expect an alert Friday with details for those in the Upper Tantallon area who will be able to return to their community.
“Tomorrow it is our intent, it is our plan, that the majority of people who were evacuated will be able to return to their homes,” Savage said during a news conference Thursday afternoon.
There are about 4,100 residents in the Halifax Regional Municipality that are under evacuation orders as of Thursday evening.
Those living in areas most severely impacted by wildfires will have to wait a bit longer before they can return, said Erica Fleck, Halifax’s director of emergency management.
Fleck said residents from areas of “significant impact” should expect to remain evacuated for as long as 10 days while safety inspections continue and fencing is installed around destroyed homes.
These three locations in the "dark orange zone" on municipal mapping are where the bulk of the burned down structures, fuel spills and impassable roads are located.
HRM map of fire impact
“There’s a significant list of items that are still big safety risks in those areas,” Fleck said.
“As we get down to the nitty gritty, we have to take it street by street, and house by house to make sure we’re not sending people to an unsafe environment.”
The emergency management director said crews are working on identifying specific areas that are still dangerous that will be cordoned off with fencing before allowing residents to return.
Wildfires in the suburban area northwest of Halifax were first reported May 28 and more than 16,000 people were displaced at the height of evacuations.
Thursday marks the final day to register online with the Canadian Red Cross to receive $500 per household for evacuees. The organization said that residents who have been unable to register online can continue to call 1-800-863-6582 to access support.
Fires are considered under control — but not out — in Westwood Hills, Tantallon and Hammonds Plains.
The Barrington Lake wildfire in Shelburne County that covers 23,525 hectares is still classified as "being held,” which means it is not moving, but is still not under control.
For More Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Alice Munro, Nobel literature winner revered as short story master, dead at 92
Nobel laureate Alice Munro, the Canadian literary giant who became one of the world's most esteemed contemporary authors and one of history's most honoured short story writers, has died at age 92.
Latest updates on air quality alerts, and when the smoke may reach Ontario and Quebec
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
Are these Canada's best restaurants? Annual top 100 list revealed
The annual list of Canada's top restaurants in the country was just released and here are the places that made the 2024 cut.
Attack on prison van in France kills 2 officers, inmate escapes
Armed assailants killed two French prison officers and seriously wounded three others in an attack on a convoy in Normandy on Tuesday and an inmate escaped, officials said.
Steal a car, lose your driver's licence for 10 years under new Ontario proposal
Repeat car thieves may face lengthy licence bans under proposed changes to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act.
$1.6B parts plant for Honda electric vehicle batteries coming to Niagara Region
A Japanese company has announced it will build an approximately $1.6-billion plant in Ontario's Niagara Region that will make a key electric vehicle battery component as part of Honda's supply chain in the province.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Manitoba premier to visit areas impacted by wildfire
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew will get a close-up look at the devastation from a large wildfire burning in northern Manitoba Tuesday.
Significant police presence as Israeli flag flies at Ottawa City Hall
The Israeli flag is flying at Ottawa City Hall today to mark the country's national day, with plans to hold a private ceremony to mark Israel's Independence Day. There is a significant police presence at City Hall, including security barriers outside the main doors.