N.S. wildfires: More dry weather in forecast as new blazes pop up

Fire crews are continuing to battle a number of wildfires raging in the province, which have so far destroyed dozens of homes and forced the evacuations of thousands of people.

With hot temperatures, low humidity, and no rain in the forecast until at least Friday night, the fires are proving to be a challenge to get under control.

Near Halifax, more than 200 structures — 150 of which are homes — have been destroyed in the ongoing blaze ripping through the Hammonds Plains and Tantallon areas.

The blaze broke out Sunday afternoon in the Tantallon area, about a 30-minute drive from downtown Halifax, and has since grown to about 788 hectares. While the fire has not grown in the last couple of days, it is still not considered to be under control.

Mandatory evacuation orders are in place in a number of neighbourhoods, impacting more than 16,400 residents. An evacuation order was issued for some areas in Bedford Tuesday night due to another fire and potential ammonia leak, but was later rescinded.

The Halifax-area wildfire is one of several currently burning in the province during what is shaping up to be a very active forest fire season.

According to Nova Scotia’s wildfire map, there were 10 wildfires in the province as of Wednesday morning, three of which are out of control.

In the southwestern part of the province, a significant fire burning at Barrington Lake in Shelburne County has grown to a massive 19,000 hectares. It’s forced the evacuation of at least 600 homes and 2,000 residents in the area.

According to a Facebook post from Shelburne County East Emergency Management, some buildings have been destroyed but it’s unclear how many.

“We understand residents are worried about their homes and properties, and while we have confirmed that some structures — including homes — have been destroyed, and some are still threatened, there are no firm details on the numbers yet,” it said.

“Right now, the main priority is the safety of residents and fire crews.”

It urged people to follow evacuation orders and not return to the evacuation zone unless authorized to do so.

“We strongly encourage residents to have go-bags and emergency kits prepared,” it said. “We will give as much notice as possible for any new evacuations, but please be prepared so you can evacuate in a safe and timely manner.”

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As well, a third fire started in the Pubnico area Monday and crews are struggling to get it under control. As of Tuesday night, the fire covered 100 hectares.

The hot, dry weather is posing a challenge in fighting the fires.

Environment Canada warning preparedness meteorologist Bob Robichaud said Tuesday the province is being affected by an area of high pressure, causing “generally warmer conditions.”

He said temperatures will warm up again Wednesday — – before jumping above the 30-degree mark Thursday.

The hot weather and relatively low humidity, said Robichaud, are expected to cause “significantly dry conditions” until Friday, and there could be increased air quality issues, especially in the overnight and early morning hours.

“We were looking at the potential for some rain on Friday,” said Robichaud. “It looks like that might be delayed somewhat – maybe more Friday night into Saturday – so we’re keeping an eye on the rainfall as well.”

While a specific cause of the fires are still unknown, DNRR officials believe they were caused by people, as are most wildfires.

The Department of Natural Resources and Renewables has issued a total burn ban across the province, and Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston announced Tuesday that the province is implementing a ban on travel and activity in the woods.