Wildfire forces evacuations in Ostrea Lake area, threatens 100 homes

CITYnews halifax / By Rachel Morgan and Dan Ahlstrand

A brush fire that broke out Sunday afternoon in the Ostrea Lake area of Halifax Regional Municipality forced evacuations and threatened dozens of homes.

Halifax fire crews were called to the scene on Ostrea Lake Road around 1:30 p.m., where they found flames spreading rapidly through dry brush.

Additional HRFE units were dispatched, along with about a dozen Department of Natural Resources woodland firefighters and a DNR helicopter.

Roughly 100 homes were at risk, prompting RCMP to evacuate residents in the 600 block of Ostrea Lake Road northwest toward Highway 7. That included people living on Birchwood Lane, Laila Lane, Reflection Lane, Heselton Drive and Sunset Lane.

The Halifax Professional Firefighters Union called the fire conditions serious, with thick brush, dry vegetation and gusty winds fuelling the blaze. The fire eventually grew to between 38 and 40 hectares in size.

Around 3:45 p.m., worsening conditions forced firefighters to pull back from the woods due to safety concerns and shift focus to protecting nearby structures.

Highway 7 was closed in the immediate area for a time but later reopened as conditions improved.

By 7 p.m., rain began soaking the area, and the fire began to stabilize.

At 7:30, HRM announced residents from Ostrea Lake Road from Civic #320 northwards up to Highway 7, Birchwood Lane, Laila Lane and Sunset Lane can return to their homes starting at 8 p.m.

An evacuation order remains in place until further notice for Ostrea Lake Road from Civic #320 south to Civic #655, Reflection Lane and Heselton Drive.

The Eastern Shore Community Centre will open as an evacuation centre starting at 10 p.m., with registration beginning at 8 p.m.