N.S. extends wildfire season until the end of October

The provincial government in Nova Scotia says wildfire-related restrictions will stay in place until the end of October, extending the wildfire season.

The season typically runs from March 15 to Oct. 15, but will now be extended to Oct. 31 this year.

“We have never seen wildfire activity so late in the season, so we’re taking this step to help keep our people and our communities safe,” said Tory Rushton, Minister of Natural Resources. “The daily burn restrictions are based on science, data and our staff’s expertise and experience. Extending the restrictions to the end of the month means we’ll have a better chance of avoiding more fires.”

The extensions mean daily burn restrictions from the provincial government will remain in place until the end of the month, as will the full burn ban still in effect for Annapolis County.

This is not the first time the government has been pushed to extend restrictions; according to the press release, it happened in 2016, prompted by drought conditions.

The bone-dry conditions are something officials have been warning all summer. They are the reason wildfires burn deep into the ground and create difficult and dangerous situations for firefighters trying to extinguish them.

Just this past week, Jim Rudderham, director of fleet and forest protection with DNR, said he has never experienced a wildfire going into October. He was speaking at a press conference for the Lake George blaze, one that popped up earlier this week and quickly got out of control.

It has prompted widespread evacuations in a portion of Kings County.

Also this summer, crews battled a wildfire in Annapolis County that was fuelled by dry brush and forced people from their homes, destroying several in its path.

Teams are still on site attempting to extinguish the flames that are still smouldering deep into the earth’s drought.