Nova Scotia firefighters return home from Ontario after helping fight forest fires

After two weeks of battling wildfire in northwestern Ontario, Nova Scotia’s firefighters are finally home.

The 21-man crew arrived at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport on Sunday afternoon – perhaps a little sunburned, but otherwise safe and sound.

Crew leader and forest technician Cody Wilkins said it was a relief to get off the plane in Nova Scotia.

“Everyone’s usually pretty glad to be back after two weeks. It’s a pretty long two weeks when you’re in the bush.”

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READ MORE: Forest fire forces evacuation of Keewaywin First Nation in northern Ontario

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The team battled the wildfire known as Red Lake 39, which forced the Pikangikum First Nation out of their homes earlier this month. That community is expected to return in the days to come, but the wildfire itself – more than 44,000 hectares – is still classified by the Province of Ontario as “not under control.”

Nova Scotia firefighters described the conditions up north as “extreme.”

“It was pretty intense when we first got there, the whole area was basically smoked in,” said Wilkins. “Originally they tired to fly us into Pikangikum, which was a town closer to the fire, and there was smoke from there and it was also smoked in right through to Winnipeg.”

“We got there and it was really hot and a very active fire,” added crew member Robert Davis.

“Anyway we couldn’t get in, and then a whole bunch of rain came, and yeah, Mother Nature helped us with this one.”

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READ MORE: Northwestern Ontario forest fire has grown over 100 sq. km since Friday

Chris Marchand, a fire information officer with the Ministry of Natural Resources, has previously said that recent bout of heavy rain helped crews contain the forest fires. About 16 are still burning in northwestern Ontario, one of which is not under control, three of which are being held, and 10 of which are under observation.

Crews are only permitted to be on 14-day rotations in the field, which is why the Nova Scotia team returned on Sunday. They were sent out on July 5 through the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.

So far, Wilkins said there has been no request for additional assistance from Nova Scotia.

Davis said he’d like to thank all of team members and support workers who took over for their crew at home while they tended to fires in Ontario.

WATCH (Aug. 20, 2018): Nova Scotia firefighters heading to British Columbia

2:15 Nova Scotia firefighters heading to British Columbia

— With files from Lidia Abraha (Canadian Press)