An out-of-control wildfire burning in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis County grew to roughly three square kilometres in size on Thursday, as dozens of residents were told to evacuate their homes.
The provincial Natural Resources Department said the fire, which was likely caused by lightning, broke out Wednesday on the north side of Long Lake near West Dalhousie, a community about 20 kilometres east of the town of Annapolis Royal.
An alert issued at 10:14 a.m. AT Thursday urged people who live on West Dalhousie Road between civic addresses 4094 to 5315 to leave immediately. It said staying may result in injury or loss of life.
Scott Tingley, manager of forest protection for Natural Resources, said the fire was roughly three kilometres from the road on Thursday afternoon and was advancing in a northeasterly direction.
“This is an evolving situation,” Tingley said during a media briefing.
Natural Resources said 42 homes were evacuated. Dustin Enslow, deputy warden of the Municipality of the County of Annapolis, said roughly 150 people live in those homes. Residents were warned Wednesday evening that they may have to evacuate.
“The community is being very positive and supportive,” Enslow told CBC’s Maritime Noon. “I feel we’re in a good spot of preparedness.”
Lois Deal, who lives in West Dalhousie, said she was on her patio Wednesday evening when she noticed flames and smoke in the woods. She said the flames raged on through the night.
People in West Dalhousie, N.S., were told to evacuate their homes on Thursday morning as an out-of-control wildfire continues to burn in Annapolis County. The CBC’s Blair Rhodes spoke to the Bridgetown Volunteer Fire Department’s deputy chief and one of the residents who was forced to leave her home.
When she was told to evacuate her home on Thursday, she grabbed as many of her pets as she could.
“I have five cats with me,” Deal said in an interview in her vehicle outside a local comfort centre, gesturing toward a large cage in the backseat as she stroked the head of her 11-year-old dog.
Deal left behind one cat she wasn’t able to wrangle, as well as chickens and turkeys. She left food and water out for the animals.
Natural Resources said crews were creating “dozer guards” around the West Dalhousie Community Centre and two communication towers. Dozer guards, also known as fireguards, help stop or slow a fire by creating a barrier by using bulldozers to remove trees, shrubs and other fire fuels.
“They’re up there working with machines by the hall, which is very close to me, so if they can save the hall they might be able to save our house,” Deal said, adding that she has a place to stay while she’s out of her home.
Natural Resources said about 30 of its firefighters and 10 local firefighters were battling the Long Lake fire. Another out-of-control fire burning in the Hoyt Lake area, just south of Long Lake, was estimated at one hectare, it said.
Two Natural Resources helicopters and two contracted helicopters were working on both fires.
Enslow said protecting the community’s telecommunication infrastructure is paramount.
“Communication is in this situation, especially in this part of rural Annapolis County, is very important,” he said.
A social media post from Natural Resources on Thursday morning said the fire near Long Lake was estimated at 30 hectares, but it had grown to 300 hectares, or three square kilometres, by afternoon.
Jim Rudderham, director of fleet and forest protection at the provincial Department of Natural Resources, said the fire was likely caused by lightning, as were several other wildfires in the province over the last day.
“Due to the remoteness of those fires as well, it’s hard for us to get in, so hard for anyone to get in there as well,” Rudderham said during the briefing.
The Hants County Exhibition has opened its grounds so people have somewhere to stay and even take their livestock animals.
General manager Sheri Donovan told CBC’s Mainstreet on Thursday buildings at the site are empty, so it made sense to help. She said she was living in Fort McMurray, Alta., when it went through a major wildfire in 2016, so she knows how stressful situations like this are for people who are told to leave home.
“We thought we can’t sit here and not do anything about it, so we need to help,” Donovan said, adding contact details are on the exhibition’s Facebook page.
Donovan said anyone who has been evacuated from their home and has access to a camper can come to the campground. She said anyone with livestock can make use of their stables.
At the time of the interview, Donovan said no one had asked about coming to the grounds.
‘Don’t stay behind’
A news release from the Municipality of the County of Annapolis said the Bridgetown Volunteer Fire Department on Bay Road was acting as a reception centre for evacuees. The municipality urged people in the evacuation zone to leave.
“Don’t stay behind to help or because you don’t think this will affect you,” the release said. “You are putting the lives of our brave first responders and firefighters at risk when you do this. Precious supplies need to go to our firefighting efforts and support personnel.”
Justin Oliver, deputy fire chief of the Bridgetown Volunteer Fire Department, was one of the first to respond Wednesday evening to the fire near Long Lake.
He said crews encountered a column of smoke rising from a remote area of the woods.
“It is hard to get to. There are multiple trails, wood roads if you would, to get through that area, but distinctly where the fire started, it was in a heavily wooded area,” Oliver said in an interview at the station on Thursday, adding a helicopter was quickly brought to the scene.
“We did have some crews on some off-road apparatus.”
There were a number of wildfires burning in the province on Thursday.
Natural Resources announced Wednesday evening that a 15-hectare wildfire burning in the area of Susies Lake in Halifax, near Bayers Lake Business Park, was being held, meaning it was not expected to grow as long as conditions remain the same. The province confirmed the fire was caused by human activity.
The department said six small wildfires in the Birchwood Road area of Oxford were all under control. Under control means the fire has been sufficiently suppressed to ensure no further spread. Crews were going to stay on site until they were fully extinguished.
There were also two small wildfires burning near Lake Paul, in Kings County, estimated at 0.9 hectares and 1.9 hectares, according to the province’s wildfire dashboard. The smaller fire was under control while the larger one was being held. Four small fires in Cumberland County were listed on the dashboard as being under control or being held.
Environment Canada said smoke from nearby wildfires was reducing air quality throughout Halifax and Annapolis counties on Thursday.
The national weather forecaster said people more likely to be impacted by wildfire smoke, including people aged 65 and older, pregnant people, infants and young children, should avoid strenuous activities outdoors and seek medical attention if experiencing symptoms.
In an interview with Tom Murphy, Deputy Warden Dustin Enslow explains how his community is dealing with the threat.
