Crews now in ‘mop-up phase’ in wildfire battle near Bayers Lake

A wildfire that started Monday near Bayers Lake in Halifax has been contained and crews are now in what’s called the “mop-up phase” of the extinguishing process.

“It’s a lot more labour intensive, and it takes a lot more time, but it’s one of the most important parts of the suppression effort,” said Dave Steeves, a forest resources technician for the Department of Natural Resources.

The phase involves looking for embers hidden in crevices and under rocks that could ignite fuel sources.

READ MORE: Wildfire near Halifax contained, no reported injuries

The fire happened Monday afternoon following days of dry conditions in the area.

“Your rates of spread for your fire, how fast your fire’s going to move is going to be a lot more severe and a lot more intense. So this was a fire that was potentially very dangerous for the people on the ground,” Steeves said.

There have been no reported injuries.

The department has now mapped the burn area, determining it’s 5.7 hectares in size. Hoses with tiny holes providing continued misting are currently surrounding the area.

Because wildfires can change quickly, it’s not clear how long firefighters will be needed.

“We could be here until suppertime tomorrow or we could be here for a week,” said Steeves.

The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.

Steeves added that the public needs to take fire restrictions and bans seriously.