While the Long Lake wildfire in the Annapolis County, N.S., continues to grow, the province says no further homes have been damaged.
“The Long Lake wildfires complex is now estimated at 8,278 hectares and is still out of control,” an update from the province said.
“Assessment of Sunday’s damage is ongoing. Beyond that, no new reports of damage to homes.”
The wildfire near Long Lake, about 125 kilometres northwest from Halifax, has surpassed 82 square kilometres in size, Dave Steeves, with the Department of Natural Resources, told reporters Wednesday. “Minimal” rain fell in the area on Monday, Steeves said, adding that while the rainfall was helpful in the short term, the positive effect of the rain is now being lost as flames reduce the moisture in the air.
“When that does happen, fire behaviour and intensity is going to tend to increase,” Steeves said. “So for the next couple of days, we are going to be moving into a situation where fire behaviour is going start to move forward, unfortunately.”
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Over the weekend, winds connected to Hurricane Erin caused the Long Lake wildfire to double in size while also damaging a number of homes in the West Dalhousie area of Annapolis County.
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Provincial officials will not say how many homes have been damaged as a result of the fire, as they are waiting until those affected are contacted before making an announcement.
An evacuation order remains in place for around 350 homes, which are located in and around the fire.
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On Tuesday, the size of the fire was reported to be 8,026 hectares as the blaze surrounded Paradise Lake.
The province’s update says that crews continue to work on the east side of the lake in an effort to prevent it from spreading to Trout Lake. It also noted that firefighters are working on the perimeter.
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There are six planes and six helicopters involved in the battle, along with more than 150 firefighters from Nova Scotia and Ontario.
Provincial officials said Tuesday that a fresh batch of firefighters were coming from Ontario to spell off some from Nova Scotia who had been toiling away all summer on the Long Lake wildfire, as well as others, including the one near Susies Lake.
“It is a 20-person crew that is coming to help,” Jim Rutterham, director of fleet and forest protection, told reporters.
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“They’re actually going to replace our Nova Scotia crew of 20 who have been deployed to this fire since the start.”
He said that management would also be arriving to serve in a similar role.
“Our crews, sometimes in incidents as they go away, it’s easier to transition out, but this incident’s gonna be with us for a while,” he said.
On Tuesday, Nova Scotia announced that the Susies Lake wildfire, which had caused a number of businesses near Halifax to close, was officially declared to be out.
*With files from The Canadian Press
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