Atin Ito First Filipino Community Newspaper in Ontario
Residents not allowed to return to their homes until advised by municipal authorities.
A wildfire that has consumed several homes is still burning out of control northwest of Halifax on Monday morning, with thousands of homes under a mandatory evacuation order.
The evacuations cover areas of Hammonds Plains, Upper Tantallon and Pockwock, suburban communities about 25 kilometres from Halifax that are home to many commuters who work in the city.
No reported injuries in N.S. wildfire — but numerous structures damaged
David Meldrum, the deputy chief of Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency, gave an update early Monday about the ‘very large and fast-moving fire’ that sparked a state of emergency in the Halifax Regional Municipality.
Areas affected by evacuations include:
- Westwood subdivision.
- White Hills subdivision.
- Highland Park subdivision.
- Haliburton Hills.
- Pockwock Road.
- Glen Arbour.
- Lucasville Road to Sackville Drive.
- Maplewood.
- Voyageur Way.
- St George Boulevard, including all side streets.
- McCabe Lake area.
- Indigo Shores.
18,000 people affected by evacuations
Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency Deputy Chief Dave Meldrum said in an update Monday morning no injuries have been reported, but “numerous” buildings have been affected or lost, including in the Westwood subdivision, near Hammonds Plains Road, and Yankeetown Road and northward to Pockwock Road.
On Sunday, the number of buildings consumed by fire was believed to be 10. Meldrum did not have an update on Monday morning, but said the number is likely to rise.
Visuals of homes destroyed by wildfire in Upper Tantallon, N.S.
Officials say the fire, which is burning out of control, is about 100 hectares as of Monday morning and is expected to grow.
He said he could not provide a list of street names where houses were damaged, adding that on some streets, one home could have escaped unscathed while another close by could be destroyed.
Meldrum said an inventory will be conducted and people will be informed by the municipality or province as soon as possible if their home was affected.
Meldrum said the wind is now blowing from the north, which will push the fire back toward where it was burning on Sunday. But he said that can still pose a danger.
“That was really fast, really hot fire yesterday. There’s a lot of unburned fuel still in the areas that the fire went through that can reignite and can burn. So we have a lot of work to do today, this week, for many days.”
The fire was first reported on Sunday around 3:30 p.m. in Westwood Hills. The cause of that fire is under investigation.
Meldrum said the firefighting effort will be prolonged.
“It’s going to take some time. These fires don’t simply extinguish today and you’re done. There’s significant work that’s required to come in and dig any hidden fires out, make sure there’s no smouldering fire that’s going to reignite.”
N.S. crews battle wildfire as residents evacuate area
Long lines of cars were seen leaving Upper Tantallon, N.S., as crews worked to contain a fast-moving wildfire.
Halifax Mayor Mike Savage said about 18,000 people have been affected by evacuations.
“It’s a very stressful time for people. It’s devastating. It’s life-changing for people who have been impacted by this. It’s a very serious fire.”
Savage said Monday he spoke with provincial Emergency Management Office Minister John Lohr, Premier Tim Houston and the federal minister of emergency preparedness, Bill Blair, on Sunday evening.
“All efforts are being made to support fighting that fire today,” Savage said.
He added that a priority will be determining what homes have been affected by the fire, and sharing that information with residents.
In the meantime, he said, people need to avoid the affected areas.
“It’s really important … that people not go back onto the scene. The fires can start and restart. We don’t know where it could be affected next, so people have to stay away.”
‘Another tough day’
Scott Tingley, a provincial spokesperson with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), said Monday morning the last unofficial report was that the fire was about 100 hectares, but he expects that could now be larger.
“None of that fire line is controlled and we did have a wind shift last night so it’s going to be another tough day,” he told CBC Radio’s Information Morning Nova Scotia.
Two helicopters are heading back to the scene Monday morning, as well as DNR firefighting crews and a water bomber from Newfoundland and Labrador.
“The command team will be overhead and in helicopters here this morning early to get a look and start planning for what they think the day is going to bring.”
Comfort centres
The Halifax Regional Municipality declared a local state of emergency Sunday night in order to access additional supports.
Comfort centres have been opened at:
- Black Point and Area Community Centre, 8579 St Margarets Bay Rd.
- Beaver Bank Kinsac Community Centre, 1583 Beaver Bank Rd.
- Canada Games Centre, 26 Thomas Raddall Dr.
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Credit belongs to : www.cbc.ca
