Barrington Lake wildfire 'being held,' not expected to move weather permitting
A record-size wildfire in Shelburne County, N.S., isn’t likely to move if conditions don't change, officials say.
The nearly 25,000-hectare Barrington Lake fire is still out of control but classified as “being held,” the municipality said Tuesday night. It’s the largest of the five active wildfires in Nova Scotia, and about 140 DNRR firefighters and 40 volunteer and municipal firefighters are on the scene.
The province says 150 structures in Shelburne County are destroyed -- about 60 of them houses or cottages. About 5,500 people left their homes at the height of evacuations, including Barry Doane.
Fire burned through his home, cottage, and almost everything he owned.
“It’s devastating,” Doane said. “I usually break out in tears most of the time just talking about it. Just one wrong word and it just kind of brings out tears.”
He ran to safety with his cat and a suitcase.
The craftsman’s house and cottage aren’t insured but even if they were, so much was irreplaceable.
“It’s hard to imagine what I lost. My father was an artist. He did beautiful paintings and I never took none of them, none of that stuff.”
The province says reentry into evacuated areas will hinge on progress made in an ongoing investigation into the wildfire.
Dave Rockwood with Nova Scotia’s Department of Natural Resources and Renewables told CTV News Tuesday that firefighters are having a much better week so far compared to the previous one.
“With the rain over the weekend, it’s calmed down quite a bit and we’re able to get in and do a direct attack, get our crews in the woods and really start digging this,” Rockwood said.
The Shelburne area has seen about 95 millimetres of rain since Friday.
Now, firefighters in the area are hoping for a pause in the rainy weather.
“Oddly enough, now we need the weather to break and give us a bit of a clear sky,” Rockwood said.
“Last week we were definitely praying for the rain… now we really need to be able to get up and get our aircraft in the air and start moving some people around by aircraft, get them into these more remote locations, we need to get back into those spots.”
Rockwood said in addition to using infrared scans and rotary wing aircraft, firefighters are doing something called “cold trailing.”
The “old fashioned” firefighting tactic involves the crew removing their gloves and touching the ground and trees to find hotspots.
“The crews are using all their senses out there to try and track down those little last sparks and embers that are out there,” Rockwood said.
For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
'Secret report' or standard research? B.C. government addresses safe supply allegations
B.C.’s premier and one of his top lieutenants are pushing back against allegations by the Official Opposition that he covertly commissioned a report into the diversion of safe supply drugs onto the streets.
Video shows suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
She was too sick for a traditional transplant. So she received a pig kidney and a heart pump
Doctors have transplanted a pig kidney into a New Jersey woman who was near death, part of a dramatic pair of surgeries that also stabilized her failing heart.
What Canadians think of the latest Liberal budget
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Teacher shortages see some Ontario high school students awarded perfect grades on midterm exams
Students at a high school in York Region have been awarded perfect marks on their midterm exams in three subjects – not because of their academic performances however, but because they had no teacher.