Global Courant 2023-06-01 03:01:00
Authorities in the eastern Canadian province of Nova Scotia have appealed for outside help as firefighters battle raging wildfires that have forced more than 16,000 people from their homes.
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston said Wednesday his administration had received help from other counties, including several water bombers, and had contacted officials in the northeastern United States to seek additional resources.
Dozens of firefighters have battled to contain two large out-of-control fires near the provincial capital of Halifax. Fourteen fires are raging across the province, causing hazy skies and fear among residents.
“We are in a crisis in the province. And we want, and we need, and we will take all the support we can get,” Houston said at a news conference.
“Unprecedented resources are being used because these fires are unprecedented.”
Our teams of firefighters and first responders continue to fight the fires today. I am so grateful for the incredible work they are doing across the province. Thank you.
We also have support from outside the province and are actively working to secure more. #novascotia 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, had warned that gusty winds and low humidity on Wednesday could fuel the Tantallon fire that remains about 30 km (19 mi) west of Halifax to burn.
The fire has grown to about 837 hectares (2,068 acres), authorities said in a rackwhile two others in the Barrington Lake and Pubnico areas were also deemed uncontrollable.
The Halifax Regional Municipality said the fires have so far destroyed or damaged more than 200 buildings – mostly homes – and nearly 16,500 people flee, but no injuries were reported.
“People are understandably tired, frustrated and scared,” said Halifax Mayor Mike Savage.
Houston, the prime minister, announced late Tuesday a ban on all activities in Nova Scotia’s forests, including hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, the use of off-road vehicles and logging. Fines for violating a county-wide fire ban were also increased to $18,400 ($25,000 Canadian).
“For God’s sake, stop burning. Stop throwing cigarette butts out the car window. Just stop it. Our resources are stretched incredibly thin right now to fight existing fires,” Houston said.
Wildfires this weekend also led to the evacuation of about 400 homes in the neighboring province of New Brunswick, officials said.
“The stories and images we are seeing 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, extremely upset by what’s going on. As a federal government, we are there, we will be there to support,” he said.
Nova Scotia RCMP update on #Tantallon areas #ShelburneCounty response to area fire – May 31, 2023 (long thread) … 1/10 pic.twitter.com/x1BkFH4lcu
— RCMP Nova Scotia (@RCMPNS) May 31, 2023
Many experts have pointed to climate change as a factor that has exacerbated extreme weather events such as wildfires, heat waves and tropical storms around the world.
The western Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia have also experienced unusually warm weather that has led to several wildfires that have gone out of control, reducing oil and gas production in the region. However, most of those fires are now under control.
The Halifax wildfires are expected to cause poor air quality hundreds of miles south, in parts of the US East Coast and Midwest, as smoke drifts over the region.
Air quality warnings were in effect for eastern and western parts of Michigan, northern Ohio and parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York given the high concentration of pollutants in the forecast, the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) said.
