Authorities in the eastern Canadian province of Nova Scotia called for outside help as firefighters battle raging forest fires that have forced more than 16,000 people to leave their homes.
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston said Wednesday that his government had received assistance from other provinces, including several water bombers, and had contacted officials in the northeastern United States to seek additional resources.
Dozens of firefighters have been battling to contain two large, out-of-control blazes near the provincial capital of Halifax. Fourteen fires are burning across the province, causing cloudy skies and anxiety among residents.
“We are in a crisis in the province. And we want, need and will receive all the support we can get,” Houston said during a news conference.
“Unprecedented resources are being used because these fires are unprecedented.”
Our fire and first responder teams continue to fight the fires today. I am so grateful for the amazing work you are doing across the province. Thank you.
We also have support from outside the province and are actively working to get more. #New Scotland pic.twitter.com/nYLTVBLRDI
—Tim Houston (@TimHoustonNS) May 31, 2023
Firefighters in Nova Scotia, home to just over 1 million people on Canada’s Atlantic coast, warned that gusty winds and low humidity on Wednesday could fuel the Tantallon fire that continues to burn some 19 miles (30 km) away. west of Halifax.
The fire has grown to about 837 hectares (2,068 acres), authorities said in a statement. statementwhile two others in the Barrington Lake and Pubnico areas were also considered out of control.
The Halifax Regional Municipality said the fires have so far destroyed or damaged more than 200 structures, mostly homes, and forced almost 16,500 people to flee, but no injuries have been reported.
“People are understandably tired, frustrated and scared,” Halifax Mayor Mike Savage said.
Houston, the premier, announced Tuesday night a ban on all activities in Nova Scotia’s forests, including hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, ATV riding and logging. Fines for violating a provincial regulation prohibition of burning they were also increased to $18,400 ($25,000 Canadian).
“For God’s sake, stop burning. Stop throwing butts out the car window. Just stop it. Our resources are incredibly tight right now to fight the existing fires,” Houston said.
The wildfires also prompted the evacuation of about 400 homes in neighboring New Brunswick province over the weekend, officials said.
“The stories and the images that we see coming out of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick are heartbreaking,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters in Ottawa, pledging federal support.
“We know that people are extremely distressed by what is happening. As the federal government we are there, we will be there to support,” she said.
Nova Scotia RCMP Update on #Tantallon area and #Shelburne County area fire response: May 31, 2023 (long thread)… 10/1 pic.twitter.com/x1BkFH4lcu
— RCMP Nova Scotia (@RCMPNS) May 31, 2023
Many experts have pointed to climate change as a factor worsening extreme weather events such as wildfires, heat waves, and tropical storms around the world.
Western Canada alberta provinces The US and British Columbia have also been dealing with unusually hot weather that has sparked several wildfires out of control, cutting off the region’s oil and gas production. However, most of those fires have already been brought under control.
The Halifax wildfires are expected to cause poor air quality hundreds of miles to the south in parts of the US East Coast and Midwest as smoke drifts through the region.
Air quality alerts were in effect for eastern and western Michigan, northern Ohio and parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York, given the high concentration of pollutants in the forecast, the National Weather Service (NWS) said. from USA
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