Emergency officials in southwest Nova Scotia say the massive wildfire raging in Shelburne County is so far ‘contained’ but not under control, 11 days after it started near the lake Barrington.
The provincial Department of Natural Resources said the fire — the largest on record in that province — was unlikely to move as long as cool, wet conditions persisted in that area.
At its peak, this fire covered about 230 square kilometers in Shelburne County, the department said, which has therefore reduced its toll, thanks to recent more accurate aerial surveys.
The gigantic forest fire, which broke out on May 27, destroyed around 60 houses or chalets and 150 other buildings, but it has not moved since Saturday. About 6,700 people were evacuated from their homes, about half the population of Shelburne County.
As of Wednesday, residents of Shelburne County who had to leave their homes are now encouraged to contact the municipality to schedule an appointment to inquire about the condition of their property.
providential rain
This huge fire, if it is currently “contained”, is however not under control. Fire crews continue to put out “hot spots” even though the area has been soggy with a hundred millimeters of rain since last Friday — about as much as the monthly average. On the ground, the fire was fought by 130 firefighters from the ministry and 40 volunteer and municipal firefighters.
Earlier this week, a six-member recovery team from Alberta arrived in Shelburne County to help provincial assessors inspect destroyed and damaged properties and infrastructure. The team was called in because they have extensive experience with much larger wildfires in Alberta.
Dave Rockwood, spokesman for the provincial Department of Natural Resources, said the blaze had not grown since Saturday, but added that recent rains were not enough to soak the ground and extinguish smoldering embers.
In suburban Halifax, another wildfire that broke out on May 28 was largely contained by Saturday. It destroyed 150 homes and forced around 16,000 people to flee the area northwest of the city center. About 4,000 people were waiting to return home to the Halifax area on Wednesday.