Helicopter pilot 'doing well' after crash on Friday at Long Lake wildfire scene
The fire has grown to more than 800 hectares, double Friday's number.
The province issued an update on social media Saturday morning. A media conference is planned for Saturday afternoon.
"Our pilot is doing well and we appreciate the outpouring of support from Nova Scotians," the province said. "Our crews on the ground are doing well and keeping up the fight on the fire."
Two contracted helicopters are part of the firefighting effort at Long Lake today. There are 44 Natural Resources firefighters, another five from P.E.I., and 30 from the local area.
A fire in the Upper Hoyt Lake/Lower Hoyt Lake area, also in Annapolis County, is listed as being held at one hectare.
More than 100 houses have been evacuated near West Dalhousie, affecting 215 people.
One family was surprised to learn they had to evacuate on Thursday.
Meghan Yeo and and her husband, Michael Zeeman, received an evacuation order to leave their house on Morse Road.
"We weren't actually expecting to be evacuated because the fire seemed to be shifting away from us. We couldn't even see smoke," she said on Friday. "And then, at 7:40 p.m., we got the evacuation notice."
She is pregnant and due next month, and says she was scrambling to pack essentials from the baby nursery after she received the evacuation order.
The couple was able to get themselves and their pets out of the house. They are staying with a friend, waiting for updates on the fire and hoping for the best.
The evacuation order currently in place applies to:
The Dalhousie Road intersection to 484 Morse Rd.
West Dalhousie Road from civic addresses 4530 to 6186.
Thorn Road from civic addresses 2648 to 3408.
Medicraft Lane with the civic addresses 122, 126 and 126 Unit 2.
The wildfire at Susies Lake is under control. Personnel from the Department of Natural Resources and the Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency Services back on the scene on Saturday.
Another wildfire in Pictou County, near McIntosh Lake, was detected as of Friday and it is not under control. It has so far burned less than a hectare.
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