'This is not helping': Frustrated evacuees say official communication lacking in wildfire recovery
Seventeen-year resident Peter Dominey hasn't been allowed into his Yankeetown subdivision to see his fire-damaged property yet, which made it even more shocking for him to see footage of it on the news.
“I got quite upset, by whoever made that decision,” said Dominey.
He says officials never told him media would tour the fire-ravaged neighbourhood before the residents could.
For him, it’s one communication failure among many since the massive wildfire tore through suburban Halifax 10 days ago.
“This is not helping,” he says. “Let people in to see their homes, I mean, surely somebody could reach out and contact us.
“It's adding more pressure to an already overwhelming time,” said Brandon MacLeod, a fellow evacuee.
MacLeod knows his home is gone, but that didn’t make it any easier to see it on the front page of the newspaper.
While there was a site visit organized by officials last week for those who lost everything, MacLeod didn’t participate. The lack of privacy, and the fact residents weren’t allowed to get off the bus to walk their properties, still bothers him.
“There’s no doubt our community looks vastly different than when we left Sunday afternoon,” he says, “and the simple fact that they were only given the opportunity to see it from a bus, is disappointing.”
Macleod and Dominey are among a number of evacuees who contacted CTV News, frustrated by what they feel is a lack of communication.
Some say they have yet to hear directly from officials about their properties.
Others told CTV they were notified their homes were impacted only through an impersonal email.
A vehicle and home damaged by a wildfire is seen in Hammonds Plains, N.S., during a media tour, Tuesday, June 6, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/POOL, Tim Krochak
Tuesday, jurisdiction over the wildfire recovery in affected areas was transferred from the provincial Department of Natural Resources back to the city.
“We’re working on improving our communications and the way that the information has been presented on our website,” says Erika Fleck, Halifax’s director of emergency management.
On its website, the city says, “The municipality has been contacting residents who have registered as evacuees of the area of significant impact. To date, staff have had phone conversations with most residents as well as face-to-face discussions as follow-up for those whose homes have been destroyed.”
Damaged sheet music and a photograph are seen among the remains left by a wildfire in Hammonds Plains, N.S., during a media tour, Tuesday, June 6, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/POOL, Tim Krochak
But Fleck admits, “Sometimes to be honest, (the communication is) never going to be good enough and I’m sure I would feel the same way if I were in their shoes, but there is open correspondence with everyone who wants it.”
But in terms of letting residents return, Fleck emphasizes there are too many safety concerns.
She says the media tour had a few participants, under highly controlled conditions with an RCMP escort.
Sites aren't safe enough for anything else right now, she said.
Melted remnants of a metal wheel rim are seen on a car destroyed by a wildfire in Hammonds Plains, N.S., during a media tour, Tuesday, June 6, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/POOL, Tim Krochak
“We have oil furnaces spilled. We have propane tanks blowing up as recently as yesterday. There are still downed power lines on some of the streets.
"Well caps are off. (There’s) sunken sewer spewing — a whole list of hazards that are still ongoing that does not make it safe for people to traverse through those neighbourhoods."
Meanwhile, evacuees like MacLeod and Dominey say they feel left in limbo.
A home destroyed by a wildfire is seen in Hammonds Plains, N.S., during a media tour, Tuesday, June 6, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/POOL, Tim Krochak
“Our community is hurting in a great, great way,” said MacLeod. “We need all the support we can get.”
“The anguish and the anger that the residents here are having, hopefully, will move this process into a better process so that this doesn't happen again,” says Dominey.
“And whatever process is in place, maybe needs to be rethought, and maybe if they lived here, they'd (do) that."
For More Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.