Latest news with #BayersLake
CTV News
6 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
Bayers Lake wildfire still being held, community outpatient centre reopens
A wildfire is seen burning in the Bayers Lake area of Halifax on Aug. 12, 2025. (Submitted: Kirk Shand) A wildfire that has been burning since Tuesday in the Bayers Lake business park and shopping district of Halifax is still being held. Susies Lake wildfire is still being held – not currently growing. 30 DN and 6 Halifax Fire and Emergency firefighters on scene this morning, working to get it under control. Updates through the day. — Natural Resources (@NS_DNR) August 15, 2025 The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) said in a Friday morning update the fire is not growing. Officials believe it will soon be contained. Thirty DNR crew members and six Halifax Fire and Emergency firefighters are currently at the scene working to get it under control. The fire started around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday in the woods behind a building on Julius Boulevard and Dugger McNeil Drive near Susies Lake. Bayers Lake Fire A fire is pictured burning in the Julius Boulevard and Dugger McNeil Drive area of Bayers Lake, N.S., on Aug.12, 2025. (CTV Atlantic / Callum Smith) At one point, it was estimated to be about 25 to 30 hectares in size. At last update, it was still around 15 hectares. The cause is still under investigation, but the province confirmed Wednesday it was started by human activity. Bayers Lake Community Outpatient Centre reopens Nova Scotia Health says the Bayers Lake Community Outpatient Centre will reopen Friday. The Bayers Lake Community Outpatient Centre will reopen Friday, Aug. 15. Any appointments already rescheduled or relocated at other sites will remain at those new times and locations. All other activity Friday and beyond will continue as originally scheduled at Bayers Lake. — Nova Scotia Health (@HealthNS) August 14, 2025 The centre, which offers medical services and clinics, had been closed since it was evacuated Tuesday afternoon. Any appointments that were already rescheduled or relocated to other sites will remain at those new times and locations. Mandatory evacuation order lifted Thursday The mandatory evacuation order for businesses in the plaza on the west side of Chain Lake Drive, between the off-ramp for Highway 2 to Julius Boulevard, was lifted Thursday morning. However, Julius Boulevard, from the intersection with Dugger McNeil Drive to the intersection with Susie Lake Crescent, remains closed due to the firefighting efforts. Access to Susie Lake Crescent is available via Chain Lake Drive. Halifax Transit's Route 28 Bayers Lake returned to regular routing after the mandatory evacuation order was lifted. Other Nova Scotia wildfires There are several other wildfires burning in the province, including a large one near Long Lake in West Dalhousie, N.S. As of Friday morning, the fire is measuring 406 hectares and is still considered out of control. Long Lake fire in West Dalhousie still out of control. Size still estimated at 406 hectares. Same air resources as yesterday. 33 DNR and 10 local firefighters on scene. Heavy equipment continuing fire barrier work. 1/2 — Natural Resources (@NS_DNR) August 15, 2025 DNR says 30 of its crew members and 10 local firefighters are on scene along with air resources. More residents in the area were told evacuate their homes 'immediately' Thursday evening. The initial evacuation order, which was issued Thursday morning, applies to people living at civic addresses #4094 to #5315 West Dalhousie Road. Officials say it affects roughly 42 homes. The expanded evacuation order applies to the Dalhousie Road intersection to 484 Morse Rd.; 4530 to 6186 West Dalhousie Rd.; 2648 to 3408 Thorne Rd.; and 122, 126 and 126-Unit 2 Medicraft Ln. West Dalhousie fire A wildfire in West Dalhousie, N.S., is pictured on Aug. 13, 2025. (Courtesy: Valley Eye Photography) The Durland Lake Brook fire, which is part of the Long Lake complex, is now estimated at 0.5 hectares and is being held. Five DNR crews and a dozen firefighters are at the scene. A wildfire near Hoyt Lake is still one hectare and is also being held with two DNR firefighters on scene. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
CTV News
6 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Bayers Lake businesses allowed to reopen as wildfire is held at 15 hectares
Nova Scotia's Department of Natural Resources says a wildfire in Halifax was caused by human activity. Businesses in the Bayers Lake area of Halifax are allowed to reopen Thursday as a wildfire in the area is being held. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) says the Susies Lake wildfire is not growing and is still around 15 hectares. DNR says 30 crew members and 12 Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency firefighters are on site Thursday and are still working to bring it under control. The Halifax Regional Municipality says there is still no threat to residents and structures at this time. The fire near the busy business park and shopping district started around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday in the woods behind a building on Julius Boulevard and Dugger McNeil Drive. At one point, it was estimated to be about 25 to 30 hectares in size. The cause is still under investigation, but the province confirmed Wednesday that it was started by human activity. 'It was an open fire. There was nobody in the area when the crews arrived on scene,' said Scott Tingley of the Department of Natural Resources during a news conference. 'That makes it impossible to hold the person or people responsible to account and that's frustrating for everyone.' Officials declined to release any additional details, including whether there was an encampment in the area. Evacuation order lifted for businesses The mandatory evacuation order for businesses in the plaza on the west side of Chain Lake Drive, between the off-ramp for Highway 2 to Julius Boulevard, was lifted at 11 a.m. Thursday. The order included civic addresses at 205, 213 and 225 Chain Lake Drive. However, Julius Boulevard, from the intersection with Dugger McNeil Drive to the intersection with Susie Lake Crescent, remains closed due to the firefighting efforts. Barriers will be in place and Halifax Regional Police remain on scene. Access to Susie Lake Crescent is available via Chain Lake Drive. Bayers Lake Community Outpatient Centre to reopen Friday While the mandatory evacuation order has been lifted, Nova Scotia Health says the Bayers Lake Community Outpatient Centre will remain closed Thursday 'due to the unpredictable nature' of the wildfire. The health authority says the centre will reopen Friday. Any Friday appointments that were already rescheduled or relocated to other sites will remain at those new times and locations. The centre, which offers medical services and clinics, has been closed since it was evacuated Tuesday afternoon. Patients who booked blood collection appointments at the Bayers Lake site for Thursday are asked to attend the Bayers Road blood collection clinic at the same scheduled time. Electrocardiogram patients booked at Bayers Lake for Thursday will be accommodated at the Cobequid Community Health Centre at their regularly scheduled appointment time. Halifax Transit HRM says Route 28 Bayers Lake has returned to regular routing now that the mandatory evacuation order has been lifted. Other Nova Scotia wildfires There are several other wildfires burning in the province, including one near Long Lake that has prompted a mandatory evacuation order in West Dalhousie, N.S. The evacuation order applies to people living at civic addresses #4094 to #5315 West Dalhousie Road. Those people have been told to leave their homes 'immediately' and go to the Bridgetown Fire Hall. The Long Lake fire grew to 30 hectares overnight and is considered out of control. A wildfire near Hoyt Lake is also out of control but is down to one hectare. DNR says 30 crew members have been assigned to Long Lake while seven DNR firefighters are working near Hoyt Lake. One DNR helicopter and two contracted helicopters are working on both fires. Crews are putting a dozer guard around the West Dalhousie Community Centre and two communication towers. A wildfire at Lake Paul is still being held at 1.9 hectares and is not growing at this time. Ten DNR crew members and 10 local fire department firefighters are on scene. Six small wildfires in the Birchwood Road area of Oxford are all under control. DNR says crews will remain on site until they are fully extinguished. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
Yahoo
14-08-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Wildfire burning near Halifax business park being held
A wildfire near a Halifax business park is being held and firefighters will remain at the scene overnight, according to an alert sent by the Halifax Regional Municipality Wednesday night. When a fire is held, it means a fire is under control but still smouldering. A mandatory evacuation of all businesses in the plaza on the wset side of Chain Lake Drive remains in place, and all access points to the plaza west of Chain Lake Drive from Julius Boulevard to the Kent store remain closed and secured by police, the alert said. The fire broke out around 2:30 p.m. AT Tuesday in the Susies Lake area near the north entrance to Bayers Lake Business Park, about 10 kilometres west of downtown Halifax. The province confirmed the fire was caused by human activity in an update on Wednesday afternoon. In social media posts earlier Wednesday, the provincial Natural Resources Department said 30 of its firefighters were on scene at first light. They were soon joined by six firefighters with Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency. Natural Resources said there was a short window of favourable foggy, misty conditions for ground crews working Wednesday morning. The fog initially prevented aircraft from being used to fight the fire, but in the afternoon helicopters began dropping water. The fire was initially estimated to be 25 to 30 hectares, but Natural Resources said it was now 15 hectares. It cautioned the size could change given it is still out of control. A forest fire alert was issued for part of Annapolis County on Wednesday night due to a fire in the Godfrey Lake area. Some residents have been asked to prepare to evacuate if the fire behavior changes. Natural Resources said Wednesday afternoon there were 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 remains out of control. It said 15 Natural Resources firefighters and 30 local firefighters were on scene along with two helicopters dropping water. An alert issued by the Halifax Regional Municipality at 10:45 a.m. Wednesday said there was a mandatory evacuation of a number of stores and restaurants along the west side of Chain Lake Drive, the main thoroughfare in the business park. It said the evacuation was required to manage traffic issues and "protect residents and workers," as officials urged people to stay away from the area. Roy Hollett, deputy chief with Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency, said earlier Wednesday that no homes have been evacuated. However, Nova Scotia Health's Bayers Lake Community Outpatient Centre, which was evacuated on Tuesday, will remain closed Thursday. "We do encourage people, if you do not need to be in that area, don't go there," Hollett told Information Morning Nova Scotia. On Tuesday, planes could be seen circling around large plumes of smoke, dipping down into a nearby lake as spectators looked on from docks and balconies in the suburb of Timberlea. One Natural Resources helicopter was dropping water, as were several planes sent from New Brunswick, where there are two major wildfires burning. The planes were later sent back but could return if needed. Bill Knowlton, an owner at B.A.D. Dog Cycles in Timberlea, said he had a front-row seat to planes scooping up water in Governor Lake. He said a colleague had spotted smoke rising from a nearby wooded area Tuesday afternoon. "And then it was a whole lot of activity in a hurry," Knowlton said in an interview on Wednesday outside the motorcycle shop. "We heard that air support was coming in, and that air support turned out to be two great big water bombers from Quebec. Big yellow guys." Knowlton said there were still kayakers in the lake when they first started buzzing overhead. "Everybody took the hint and cleared the lake. Then they came in right out of nowhere and started scooping," he said. "We were laughing because commercial planes couldn't land as softly as those guys were landing in the water as they were filling up. Then they would power up, take off and they just kept a continuous circle. It was an amazing sight to see." He said dozens of people arrived on the shores of the lake to take in the action. "We could have handed the pilot a Pepsi, it felt like. He was so close to us as he was coming through," said Knowlton. Officials issued an emergency alert Tuesday evening warning people not to use drones within 9.3 kilometres of the uncontrolled wildfire. The Halifax Professional Fire Fighters confirmed in a Facebook post that a drone did temporarily pause operations. Hollett said if helicopters or planes see a drone in the air, "they will not risk hitting them." "It could cause a very serious air collision," he said. "If you get caught having a drone in the wildfire area, you will be charged." Nova Scotia has been experiencing extremely dry conditions. Last week, the provincial government imposed a ban on people entering the woods in an effort to help prevent wildfires. People who violate the ban could be slapped with a $25,000 fine. The federal Agriculture Department's latest drought update, released Tuesday, said the Atlantic region received below-normal precipitation in July, with large portions of Nova Scotia receiving less than 40 per cent of normal monthly precipitation. The report said the southwestern tip of the province is abnormally dry, while there are moderate to severe drought conditions elsewhere. Environment Canada said smoke from nearby wildfires is reducing air quality throughout Halifax County. The air quality statement said people more likely to be impacted by wildfire smoke, including people aged 65 and older, pregnant people and infants, should avoid strenuous activities outdoors and seek medical attention if experiencing symptoms. The national weather forecaster said health risks can increase as smoke levels rise, so people should consider reducing or rescheduling outdoor sports, activities and events. WATCH | Highlights from wildfire news conference on Wednesday: MORE TOP STORIES
Yahoo
14-08-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Officials say Halifax wildfire that prompted evacuations is being held
Officials say Halifax wildfire that prompted evacuations is being held HALIFAX — A wildfire on the western outskirts of Halifax that had prompted evacuations is now being held, Nova Scotia officials say. But the update, posted at 9:15 p.m. Wednesday, said firefighters would remain overnight at the scene of the fire near Susies Lake, which is about 10 kilometres west of downtown Halifax. The Halifax Regional Municipality said the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources estimated that the blaze remained around 15 hectares in size. The Susies Lake fire erupted on Tuesday afternoon close to businesses and homes in the Bayers Lake area and prompted the evacuation of three businesses in the Bayers Lake business park. It also forced a hardware store and restaurant to close and an outpatient clinic in the Susies Lake area was also shut. The latest update said the mandatory evacuations of all businesses in the plaza on the west side of Chain Lake Drive remained in place. Earlier Wednesday, Scott Tingley with the Natural Resources Department told reporters that the blaze was caused by human activity and an open fire pit was found at the scene of the fire. "There was nobody in the area when crews arrived on the scene, that makes it impossible to hold the person or people responsible to account," Tingley said at a news briefing. "That's frustrating to everyone." Open fires are banned across Nova Scotia and violations come with a $25,000 fine. The province has also banned hiking, fishing and using vehicles in the woods, as well as any camping outside of designated camp sites. Anyone caught breaking the rules will face the same $25,000 punishment. Twelve people have been fined since last week, Premier Tim Houston told reporters. "It's certainly my hope that every single one of those is fully prosecuted and collected. It's just too serious of a situation right now," Houston said. Tingley said firefighters in the province had responded to 17 reports of wildfires in the past day. Firefighters were able to suppress and extinguish "a number of them quite easily" which allowed them to focus resources on the larger fires that require more attention, Tingley said. "Why are we getting these fires? It's dry, and unfortunately there's activities out there that are happening that shouldn't be," he said. Houston said there's been no loss of life or of structures thanks to the efforts of Nova Scotia's firefighters. "The main reason we haven't had a catastrophe yet is our firefighters. They're stretched very, very thin right now … they've done an amazing job," he said. The premier stressed that the "province is a tinder box" and urged Nova Scotians to take the wildfire restrictions seriously. "I get that people want to go for a hike or want to go for walk in the woods with their dog. But how would you like to be stuck in the woods while there's a fire burning around you?" Houston added that there's no significant rain in the forecast, and that as a result it's likely going to be "a long next few weeks." — With files from Brieanna Charlebois in Vancouver This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 13, 2025. Lyndsay Armstrong, The Canadian Press
CTV News
13-08-2025
- Business
- CTV News
First at Five: Work Interruption
Atlantic Watch The wildfire in the Bayers Lake area of Halifax impacts shops and shoppers.
