Resources stretched thin as crews battle large fire in Annapolis County

CITYnews halifax / By Natasha O’Neill

Flames are still active, and the terrain in Annapolis County is unforgiving for firefighters battling the “dangerous” Long Lake wildfire complex.

In an afternoon update Aug. 15, Dave Steeves, public information officer with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), said the situation crews are dealing with on the ground is “explosive.”

“Fire behaviour has dropped back a little bit, but the potential for things to spin very, very quickly is always there,” he said.

The veteran firefighter explained, fire behaviour is influenced by weather, topography and fuels on the ground. Any change in the variables “can turn the situation around very, very quickly.”

One of those factors is a thunderstorm that rolled through the province on Aug. 14, and experts believe in the next few days more wildfires can pop up because of the lightning strikes.

Jim Rudderham, Director of Fleet and Forest Protection with DNR, said that because the energy drives into the ground, it could take several days before the spark makes its way to the surface. This is because of the drought conditions the province has been experiencing.

Related:

• ‘Extreme fire behaviour’ in West Dalhousie with homes evacuated
• Rain clears out, sunshine returns across Nova Scotia
• IN PHOTOS: Fire crews work to tame wildfire in Halifax

With the thunderstorm, a cold front passed through the area, forcing temperatures to drop and winds to shift to the north. The humidity increased, which Steeves said won’t stop the fire but can slow down its progression.

“We’ve just kind of been extended a small olive branch here to get some good work done, and that’s what we’re going to do,” he said.

Dozens of people forced from their homes

There are about 50 homes within the updated evacuation zone in West Dalhousie, a community being threatened by the Long Lake complex. It’s about 16 kilometres south of Bridgetown, N.S.

The newest civic addresses under an evacuation order are:

• From the West Dalhousie Road intersection to 484 Morse Rd.
• 4530 to 6186 West Dalhousie Rd.
• 2648to 3408 Thorne Rd.
• 122, 126, 126 (Unit 2) Medicraft Lane

It is now the largest wildfire burning across the province and continues to grow out of control after being sparked by lightning earlier this week. As of Friday afternoon, firefighters estimated the blaze is about 406 hectares, increasing dramatically from figures on Thursday morning.

Resources stretched thin

DNR said in its latest update Aug. 15 that heavy machinery is clearing vegetation around a community centre and two communication towers in the area where the blaze is burning closely. This will possibly slow the fire by getting rid of any fuel on the ground.

The government says that more air resources are battling the flames, along with 44 DNR team members and 60 local firefighters.

“Today we have had two Department helicopters and two contracted helicopters dropping water on the Long Lake fire all day,” said DNR spokesperson Rudee Gaudet in an email. “We have two fixed wing aircraft, CL-415s, from Quebec dropping water on the fire as of 3:30 pm. Our helicopters will continue to drop water on the fire along with the CL-415s.”

Rudderham also noted that crews from Nova Scotia previously sent to fight fires in New Brunswick will be coming back to the province this weekend.

The complex is made up of the Long Lake blaze and two smaller fires burning in the area, dubbed the Hoyt Lake wildfire (about 1 hectares) and the Durland Lake Brook wildfire (estimated to be 0.3 hectares).

This updated map shows where the Long Lake wildfire has grown, including the expanded evacuation area. (Province of Nova Scotia)