Halifax Wildfire has Damaged Around 200 Structures, Still Out of Control

The Halifax wildfire has damaged an estimated 200 homes or structures since it started on Sunday. Till now, about 16,000 residents in the area have been asked to leave their homes. The fire has spread to 788 hectares and remains out of control.

Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) shared an update on the wildfire that broke out on Sunday and said around 200 homes or structures have been damaged in the area. A full estimate of the damage cannot be confirmed yet. Residents should get to know about the actual damage in the coming days.

Around 16,000 residents in the area have been asked to leave their homes. The evacuation center located at the Canada Games Centre in Halifax will have the Insurance Bureau of Canada present so that residents can discuss details about their insurance. Additionally, Nova Scotia Health’s mobile primary care clinic has opened a drop-in clinic at the center.

As for the wildfire, it started on Sunday last week in the Upper Tantallon, N.S., area. It has spread to 788 hectares and remains out of control. A large number of firefighters are present at the location putting out hot spots and areas of open flames, and small fires. “We had a pretty good night. Made some progress and there were no injures and no significant incidents reported from the night operations,” said Halifax deputy fire chief David Meldrum.

Meanwhile, the weather conditions could potentially make the fire worse. As per Dave Steeves with Department of Natural Resources and Renewables (DNRR), southwest winds sustained at 15 km, gusting to 30 km, are expected and can make dealing the fire more challenging. He added that there could be a possibility of reburn in the area as well.

Vineet Washington