Residents of Annapolis County community urged to leave as out-of-control wildfire burns

CBC

9 hours ago

Some residents near an out-of-control wildfire burning in Nova Scotia's Annapolis County have been told to evacuate their homes.
An alert issued at 10:14 a.m. says people who live on West Dalhousie Road in West Dalhousie between civic addresses 4094 to 5315 should leave immediately. It says staying may result in injury or loss of life.
According to the province's wildfire dashboard, there are two out-of-control wildfires burning in the area, including one that is roughly 20 hectares in size and a smaller one that's .1 hectares.
According to the dashboard, there were nine wildfires burning in the province as of 5 p.m. Wednesday.
The department announced Wednesday evening that a 15-hectare wildfire burning in the area of Susies Lake in Halifax, near Bayers Lake Business Park, was being held, meaning it's not expected to grow.
The province confirmed Wednesday afternoon that fire was caused by human activity.
During a news conference, manager of forest protection Scott Tingley said crews found an open fire when they arrived on scene on Tuesday afternoon, but whoever started the fire was not there.
"That makes it impossible to hold the person or people responsible to account. And yeah, that's frustrating to everyone," Tingley told reporters.
There are also two small wildfires burning near Lake Paul, in Kings County, estimated at 0.9 hectares and 1.9 hectares. The smaller fire is under control while the larger one is being held, according to the dashboard. Under control means the fire has received sufficient suppression to ensure no further spread.
Four small fires in Cumberland County are listed on the dashboard as being under control or being held.
Environment Canada said smoke from nearby wildfires is reducing air quality throughout Halifax and Annapolis counties.
The national weather forecaster said people more likely to be impacted by wildfire smoke, including people aged 65 and older, pregnant people, infants and young children, should avoid strenuous activities outdoors and seek medical attention if experiencing symptoms.