'This thing has grown some teeth': Shelburne County wildfire growing, still out-of-control
The largest wildfire in Nova Scotia is growing and still out-of-control, the Department of Natural Resources and Renewables said Friday.
The wildfire in Shelburne County, about 180 kilometres southwest of Halifax, covers more than 20,500 hectares.
“This thing has grown some teeth,” said Dave Rockwood, a Department of Natural Resources and Renewables (DNRR) public information officer, in a Friday news conference.
It started in Barrington Lake Sunday and has displaced more than 5,500 people.
EMERGENCY ALERT
An emergency alert was sent out at about 4:20 p.m. Friday, issuing a mandatory evacuation order in Shelburne County for 2461 Upper Clyde Road to McGills Road (McGill Lake area of the Upper Clyde Road).
The alert stated the Barrington Lake wildfire is traveling further up the Upper Clyde Road.
Evacuees are advised to register with Shelburne EMO by calling 902-637-7899.
A comfort centre has been established at the Sandy Wickens Memorial Arena.
FIGHTING FIRE
Groups of Department of Natural Resources and Renewables firefighters take part in a morning briefing as a wildfire continues to burn in Shelburne County, N.S. (Courtesy: Communications Nova Scotia)
Dozens of firefighters from the province and other departments and agencies are on the ground. But work is being stalled by onlookers getting too close, said Rockwood.
“We’ve had many occasions they are hindering our operations,” he said.
Aircraft can’t drop water when people are in the area of operation and structures have been lost because of it, he said.
“We need people to stay out of our area.”
He said small fires, caused by embers in the wind, have cropped up as far as five kilometres away over the last week.
Three other wildfires in Nova Scotia are considered out of control. The federal government is sending equipment and personnel to assist with firefighting efforts.
The other wildfire in the county, near Lake Road in Shelburne, is burning out-of-control over 114 hectares and is being fought by 23 DNRR firefighters.
After flying over the area Friday, Rockwood said he had a good feeling about it.
“The boys and girls in the woods … It’s almost like they’re running with those hoses.”
A DNRR crew fighting wildfires in the North West Territories was called back to Nova Scotia earlier this week and arrived in Shelburne Thursday.
“They had a quick briefing yesterday and they are on the ground boots running,” Rockwood said.
A group of American firefighters from the East Coast are expected in the province Friday, and will head down to Shelburne County.
Rockwood said officials are working on an updated number of structures lost and will share it as soon as possible.
Five helicopters and about ten planes are in the sky. Waterbombers from Montana are enroute as well.
For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated home page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.
Djokovic needs medical attention after getting knocked on the head by a water bottle at Italian Open
Novak Djokovic needed medical attention after apparently getting knocked on the head by a water bottle after a win at the Italian Open on Friday.