Wildfire evacuation areas, state of emergency in effect

At 11 p.m. Sunday, Mayor Mike Savage and Regional Council declared a local state of emergency in the communities affected by the fires.

Under the Emergency Management Act, declaring a state of local emergency is a legal mechanism that provides the municipal government with a higher level of intergovernmental coordination, access to emergency discretionary funds, the ability to mobilize additional supports, organizations and businesses to support evacuated residents.

The following areas are currently under an evacuation order, according to the Halifax website:

• Westwood subdivision, Upper Tantallon
• Whitehills subdivision, Hammonds Plains
• Highland Park subdivision, Yankeetown
• Haliburton Hills
• Pockwock Road
• Glen Arbour
• Lucasville Road (only) to Sackville Drive
• Maplewood
• Voyageur Way
• St George Boulevard, including all side streets
• McCabe Lake area

The following areas have had evacuation orders lifted, but residents are warned they could be evacuated again on 30 minutes notice:

• Indigo Shores
• Bernard St
• Estelle Ave,
• Lewis Dr
• Farmers Dairy Lane
• Giles Dr
• Bluewater Road
• Olive Ave
• Gary Martin Dr
• Topsail Ct
• Command Ct
• Lasalle Ct
• Castlestone Dr
• Hammonds Plains Road from Giles to Larry Uteck Blvd.

Authorities continue to stress the mandatory nature of evacuation orders, emphasizing that residents must comply with instructions issued by local authorities, including police, firefighters, and ground search and rescue teams.

Returning to homes is strictly prohibited until municipal authorities confirm the area is safe.

Those who have evacuated are encouraged to contact 3-1-1.

Map of evacuation zone (red) and Emergency Zone (yellow). HRM

Halifax Fire and Rescue Deputy Chief Dave Meldrum told CityNews Halifax that there had been no reported injuries to this point. Meldrum said several structures had been destroyed or damaged by fire, but an exact number was unavailable.

Meldrum says HRFE has called in a fourth alarm because of the size of the fire, but because of the scope of the operation, it could not say how many pieces of apparatus and crews were working on the fire.

Nova Scotia Department of Resources and Renewables is on-site with aircraft in the air and teams on the ground in an effort to contain the fire.

Water bombers are now helping with the fire @CityNewsHFX pic.twitter.com/vxP6kjv6Yg

— JACK 92.9 (@jack929hfx) May 28, 2023

HRFE is asking those in the area who have not left and can do so safely to leave, those who need assistance to call 9-1-1, and residents who do not live in the area who are driving out to the scene to turn around as the situation is dangerous.

Comfort Centres are set up at Black Point Community Centre in Black Point, the Canada Games Centre in Clayton Park and the Beaver Bank Kinsac Community Centre on the Beaver Bank Road.

Nova Scotia Power is reporting a significant outage in the fire area. As of 4:50 a.m., about 2,100 customers were without power in the impacted area. NSP listed the estimated restoration time as Monday morning.

HRCE said that 6 schools in the area would be closed on Monday and that they will continue to monitor developments closely and will follow advice from EMO.

The six closed schools are:

• Bay View High
• Hammonds Plains Consolidated
• Kingswood Elementary
• Tantallon Junior Elementary
• Tantallon Senior Elementary
• Madeline Symonds Middle School

Environment Canada has issued a special air quality statement due to reduced visibility and air quality in areas downwind of the fire. The national forecaster says conditions may vary locally as wind and fire behaviour changes.

Wildfire smoke can be harmful to one’s health even at low concentrations.

Stay with CityNews Halifax for more information as it becomes available.