Firefighters' helmets and water bottles rest against the windshield of a truck at a command centre within the evacuated zone of the wildfire burning in Tantallon, N.S., outside of Halifax on Wednesday, May 31, 2023. Scattered showers are moving across parts of Nova Scotia this morning, providing some relief to a province still struggling with its worst wildfire season on record. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese
HALIFAX – There are hopes that heavy rain in the forecast could bring relief to Nova Scotia firefighters, who are struggling to bring a major Halifax-area wildfire under control.
Halifax Deputy Fire Chief David Meldrum said that Friday was a “pretty good day” for the fire effort near the city, as higher humidity and cooler temperatures allowed crews to make some advances.
The improved conditions also meant some 8,000 Halifax-area residents were able to return to their homes as of late Friday afternoon, after evacuation orders were lifted for some areas undamaged by fire.
The wildfire that broke out Sunday in the Halifax area raced through a number of subdivisions, consuming about 200 structures — including 151 homes — and forcing the evacuation of more than 16,000 people.
While some residents received good news about returning home on Friday, scores of others whose homes were destroyed by fire were taken by bus to get a firsthand look at what little remains of where they used to live.
In the southwestern corner of the province, the largest recorded wildfire in the province’s history has continued to burn out of control in Shelburne County, where 6,700 people have been evacuated from their homes – about half of the municipality’s population.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 3, 2023.
