(Halifax) The major wildfire that has forced the evacuation of thousands of people over the past week near Halifax, Nova Scotia is 85% contained and not gaining further ground, authorities say local.
David Steeves, a technician with the province’s Department of Natural and Renewable Resources, told reporters Saturday morning that the fire is concentrated in an area of 9.5 square kilometers and is not expected to grow any further.
The efforts to fight the blaze, combined with the return of the rain, would explain this good news.
“We are slowly going from being out of control to being under control,” said Mr. Steeves. What this means is that with the resources that are currently on the ground and the firefighting efforts that have already taken place, the fire should not spread further. »
Despite everything, Mr. Steeves recalled that the situation remains worrying in many sectors. Crews continue to carefully monitor the perimeter of the fire and hot spots, while a resurgence of flames in some places is not excluded.
“We could be here for several weeks, even months, before our commander is comfortable declaring the fire extinguished,” he warned.
The fire that broke out last Sunday in the Halifax area ripped through a number of residential areas, burning about 200 structures — including 151 homes — and prompting the evacuation of more than 16,000 people.
Halifax Deputy Fire Chief David Meldrum said rain relieved firefighters on Saturday. However, he pointed out that precipitation could also complicate their mission by causing falls.
“They’re going to be very dirty, very wet and they’re going to be cold,” he said. We are happy for the return of the rain, but it will not be an easy day for our firefighters. »
Meldrum said two firefighters had previously been injured by heat stress and another had hit his head while moving equipment.
Historic season
Despite this positive news about the state of the fire, thousands of evacuees will have to wait a little longer before they can return to their homes.
The evacuation order was lifted in some areas that were not affected by the fire late Friday, but Mr Meldrum warned that there were still checks to be made to ensure that the other evacuated areas are safe for returning residents.
Nova Scotia is experiencing one of the worst wildfire seasons in its history, with 11 active fires in the province as of Friday evening.
In the southwest of the province, the largest wildfire on record in the province’s history was still considered out of control Saturday morning.
The Barrington Lake fire, which started exactly a week ago, continued to grow on Friday, reaching 230 square kilometers. It destroyed at least 50 homes and cabins.
The province said two other smaller fires are also out of control: one in Shelburne District and the other in Pubnico, Yarmouth County.