More neighbourhoods being evacuated, orders will remain in effect until Monday

CITYnews halifax \ By Dan Ahlstrand

Residents in Maplewood, Voyageur Way, including St. George Boulevard and side streets, McCabe Lake, Indigo Shores, Haliburton Hills, Glen Arbour, those living on Pockwock Road, White Hills, Highland Park, Westwood Subdivisions and residents along Lucasville Road to Sackville Drive are ordered to evacuate their homes because of an out-of-control wildfire.

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.

Several homes now engulfed by out of control forest fire in Westwood Hill Upper Tantallon. Caroline and all her neighbours have been evacuated. @CityNewsHFX pic.twitter.com/0XJ7SYT0U6

— JACK 92.9 (@jack929hfx) May 28, 2023

@CityNewsHFX Massive forest fire destroys home in Westwood Hills Subdivision in Upper Tantallon. Evacuation order in affect pic.twitter.com/XgdrkLWWDU

— JACK 92.9 (@jack929hfx) May 28, 2023

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.

Evacuation orders remain in effect for Westwood Hills and Highland Park as the fire continues to grow.

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.