Crews from Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency Services, alongside volunteers and Department of Natural Resources (DNR) personnel, were on scene Thursday for a fire burning out of control in Jacket Lake.
The latest update from DNR notes that the fire has grown to an estimated 30 hectares since being discovered Wednesday evening. Around 7:00 p.m., officials were called for reports of “heavy smoke” in the area of Mooseland Road.
The roadway is closed near Sixth Lake, the Thursday afternoon update reads.
According to DNR, there are 24 personnel from the province, 31 volunteer firefighters and members from Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency Services. Two helicopters and four fixed-wing water bombers have been dousing the flames from the sky.
Additional fixed-wing water bombers from Newfoundland are on the way Thursday evening.
Halifax members arrived Wednesday to find a blaze burning in what firefighters have described as a “remote and difficult-to-access area.”
In an email to CityNews, a DNR spokesperson said that helicopters can safely fly during the day and will ground at dusk.
Teams were able to access parts of the blaze before it got too dark.
“It’s difficult to say definitively at this point when we will get this under control, as the weather this afternoon may pose challenges,” Patricia Jreige, from the Department of Emergency Management, said. “Our crews are working hard to make this happen as soon as possible.”
She noted that there have been more than 100 wildfires this year in Nova Scotia, double the number of incidents at this time last year.
In a message posted online, the provincial body says the fire is estimated to be about seven hectares in size and is out of control.
(Halifax Professional Fire Fighters)
The province brought on a new fleet of helicopters to help fight fires across Nova Scotia in the last few weeks. The four H125s are “versatile,” the press release notes, and can help with fires, search and rescue, scientific research, and the transport of people and equipment.
The aircraft are on top of the contracted four water bombers the province announced as wildfire season got underway this year. The government said it has contracted four Air Tractor AT-802 water bombers and one Cessna Caravan Bird Dog until the end of September.
“Nova Scotia’s investments in modern wildfire response are already making a real difference,” Jreige said. “Our new helicopters, along with our fleet of contracted fixed-wing water bombers and highly trained crews, are strengthening our ability to respond quickly and protect Nova Scotians and their communities.”
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