It’s been nearly two weeks since mass evacuations forced thousands to flee neighbourhoods in the Halifax area due to a rapidly spreading wildfire, but officials have notified most of the remaining evacuees that it’s finally safe to return home.
An update was provided by the Halifax Regional Municipality on Friday stating that people living in most of the Upper Tantallon and Upper Hammonds Plains area could re-enter their communities as of 1 p.m., as the city enters its third phase of peeling back evacuation orders.
Shortly after the update, the province’s Emergency Alert system was activated to relay the message.
“Residents can return home to the previously evacuated areas except for the updated areas of significant impact,” the alert said.
The Halifax Regional Municipality, however, has said residents who live within the three smaller areas where the most damage was reported are still unable to return but should be able to do so within the next 10 days. The municipality said it must first complete a review of infrastructure, install traffic controls and place fences around destroyed properties.
Some of the streets within the remaining evacuation areas include Wyndham Drive, Timberlane Terrace and Hummingbird Lane in the Tantallon area.
For those returning, Nova Scotia Power is expected to reconnect power to households on Friday.
“We remain committed to addressing community safety and to helping people regain what was lost,” said Halifax Mayor Mike Savage during a press briefing on Thursday afternoon, where he described the disaster as “the most devastating fire of our times.”
“This last 10 days has been remarkably devastating to the whole community in a way that we haven’t seen in a long time.”
Although a majority of the 16,400 evacuated residents were able to return home throughout the week as firefighters continued to gain control over the 950-hectare wildfire, about 4,100 were still waiting to return to their property as of Friday.
The blaze, which broke out on May 28, destroyed about 200 buildings, including 151 homes, and forced more than 16,000 people to evacuate from their homes.
The Canadian Red Cross said Friday it is working with the provincial government to revise the Halifax evacuation map following reports that some residents who were evacuated from their homes were disqualified from receiving $500 in government aid for those subject to evacuation orders.The Red Cross distributed the funds for the province.“A small number of households that were previously excluded … have been added to the map of mandatory evacuation areas and therefore are eligible,” Red Cross spokesman Dan Bedell said in an email.
In southwestern Nova Scotia, another emergency alert was issued on Friday morning to notify residents that the municipalities of Shelburne and Barrington Lake will be lifting wildfire evacuation orders for Shelburne County in an approach that will allow for re-entry in multiple phases.
The 235-square-kilometre wildfire that started in Barrington Lake, which grew to become the largest wildfire in the province’s history, is now considered “being held” by officials. The blaze, which broke out on May 27, destroyed 60 homes and cottages, 150 structures, and caused at least 6,000 residents to evacuate.
A release from Shelburne County on Friday morning said the first phase from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. will only allow those who have been contacted about damage or loss of their structures into the evacuation zone to visit their property.
“At 12 PM, the second phase of re-entry will begin with roads in the Municipalities of Shelburne and Barrington being open to the public.” the statement said.
The municipalities encouraged people to refrain from visiting the area if they don’t have to be there “out of necessity” so property owners can return home and firefighting efforts can continue in an efficient manner.
Residents are also being warned that some areas within the county are still without electricity, though emergency officials say power is expected to be restored Friday.
A provincewide ban on open fires remains in place. The fine for violations has been increased to $25,000.
— with files from The Canadian Press
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