WOLFVILLE, N.S. – Wildfires continue to wreak havoc across the province of Nova Scotia, with the most serious ones located in the northwest of Halifax and Shelburne County, over 200 kilometres southwest. Thousands have been forced to evacuate their homes, with the city of Halifax now under a state of emergency due to the rampant fires1.
Several dozen homes have been destroyed or damaged by the Tantallon fire, which authorities report as zero percent contained. In Shelburne County, a wildfire estimated to be over 6,200 hectares in size continues to burn, with approximately 400 people having evacuated and more expected to follow if the situation does not improve1.
In response to the severity of the fires, the federal government has approved the Canadian Armed Forces’ assistance in battling the blazes. The military will provide planning and coordination support, ignition specialist personnel, equipment, and other firefighting resources. This approval marks Nova Scotia as the second province to receive federal assistance this year, following Alberta2.
International aid has also been sought. Over 300 firefighters from the United States and South Africa are expected to arrive in Canada in the coming days, with about 100 American firefighters set to arrive in Nova Scotia by Monday, June 5. This international team will assist in controlling the fires that have so far destroyed at least 200 homes and cottages2.
Another 200 firefighters arriving from South Africa will likely be deployed to Alberta, adding to the more than 400 international firefighters from the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand who have already offered their assistance since the start of the season2.
In addition to these measures, the federal government has promised to provide training to more than 300 Indigenous firefighters and 125 Indigenous fire guardians. This initiative comes as the country faces a total of 211 wildfires, including 82 that are currently out of control2.
This year has been marked by an unprecedented early start to the wildfire season, with 1,826 wildfires having already burned 2.7 million hectares of land – a landmass equivalent to over five million football fields. This has led officials to describe the situation as “dangerous” and “unprecedented”2.
Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson has attributed the increase in the intensity and number of wildfires to climate change, stating, “It is a simple fact that Canada is experiencing the impacts of climate change, including more frequent and more extreme wildfires”2.
Sources:
- “N.S. wildfires: Pictures highlight destruction,” CTV News, Link1.
- “Canadian military to help fight Nova Scotia wildfires amid ‘unprecedented’ season”, Global News, Link2.
Note: Unfortunately, due to technical issues, American sources such as CNN and the New York Times could not be accessed to provide additional information. Future updates will aim to include more diverse sources.
