Pushed on by high winds, the Long Lake wildfire raged out of control over the weekend and damaged several homes in Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia officials say.
“This is a crushing feeling,” Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston told reporters Monday. “We really can’t imagine what it must feel like.”
He said the province will not release further details on how many homes were damaged until residents are notified.
The wildfire forced another 230 homes to be evacuated on Sunday, bringing the total to 330, according to the premier.
“The Long Lake fire in Annapolis County took a real turn over the weekend … it’s now over 7,500 (hectares) in size, maybe closer to 8,000 (hectares),” Houston said.
Provincial officials had been attempting to plan for several days for high winds, which were brought on by Hurricane Erin but the plans fell short as the fire became untouchable.
“The fire’s behaviour at peak burn time was just too much. Any amount of resources couldn’t have touched that fire yesterday,” Jim Rudderham, Director of Fleet and Forest Protection, said. “We certainly tried as much as we could but at a certain point it’s not safe for anyone to be in there and we had to leave.”
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Houston credited those who have been working on the fires over the past week,
“So many people worked so hard to avoid this outcome,” he said. “Our firefighters, pilots, heavy equipment operators, forestry contractors, ordinary citizens volunteering through the Nova Scotia Guard.”
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The premier noted that there were a number of new fires that popped up across the province on Sunday.
“Yesterday alone we had five new fires. One of those fires in Cumberland County is still listed as out of control and estimated at around 2.5 (hectares) in size but we’re optimistic that may we may get that fire under control shortly,” Houston said.
The province announced that it was providing financial assistance to those who had been displaced by the wildfire.
Adults who were forced from their homes with receive between $500 and $1,000 with additional money being paid out for dependents.
Smoke from the Long Lake wildfire has led to an air quality warning being issued in Annapolis County, with Environment Canada saying air quality is significantly reduced.
There are currently three wildfires burning in Nova Scotia, with the Long Lake wildfire being the only blaze that’s classified as out-of-control.
— with files from The Canadian Press
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