Bill Blair, minister of emergency preparedness, said at a news conference in Ottawa on June 1 that Nova Scotia had asked the federal government for assistance and the federal government approved the request on May 31.
Federal Support
Canadian Armed Forces will work with provincial emergency management officials to provide planning and coordination supports, ignition specialist personnel and equipment, and other firefighting resources, to help with fire turnover, mop up, and hotspot dousing.“These additional firefighting resources will be used to relieve firefighters who’ve been working tirelessly around the clock to protect communities right across Nova Scotia,” said Blair.
The minister listed a number of additional federal resources that have been provided to the province. He said the Canadian Coast Guard has provided air lifts, helicopter surveillance, crew comfort trailers, and an incident command post.
“The Canadian Armed Forces has provided specialized fire fighting trucks and support equipment to Halifax,” Blair said. He added that Transport Canada was providing a national aerial surveillance program and the Public Health Agency of Canada has been providing beds, blankets, and cots from the National Emergency strategic stockpile.
The military firefighting efforts will be in addition to assistance already being provided to the province by the Canadian Coast Guard, Public Health Agency of Canada, and other federal departments, in response to the needs Nova Scotia has identified, said Blair.
“We are also assessing what additional resources can be made available through other federal departments and agencies. We will continue to be there for Nova Scotians,” he added.
On May 31, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he had been in contact with Nova Scotia’s premier and “told them that we stand ready to provide any assistance they need. We’re also going to match donations made to Red Cross Canada for Nova Scotia.”
Province Requests
In a May 31 letter, Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston said the province needed more water bombers and helicopters and had formally requested 5,000 hoses, firefighting foam, four-wheel-drive trucks, and federal help to set up a base camp for 250 firefighters actively fighting the blaze.The province also asked for federal disaster financial assistance, which is usually not granted until the province spends over $3 million on disaster relief.
“The asks are known at the highest levels of government and nobody can say that they are not known. So I would urge them to act on those,” said Houston.
There are more than 300 firefighters now travelling to Canada from South Africa and the United States to help battle wildfires. Approximately 100 U.S. firefighters are expected to be in Nova Scotia by June 5, and 200 from South Africa are expected to aid firefighting suppression efforts in Alberta.
There are hundreds of fire crews currently in Canada from other countries, including the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand, in what officials have said is an “unprecedented” early fire season.
Across the country, according to Blair, there have been 1,826 fires since the start of the season, burning roughly 2.7 million hectares.
“The Northwest Territories, Manitoba, Ontario, and most recently Nova Scotia and New Brunswick have all experienced serious wildfires that have prompted the evacuation of tens of thousands of Canadians, including from many indigenous communities,” Blair said.
“To put that in some context, that’s over five million football fields. And the national average for hectares burned in the month of May over the last 10 years has averaged approximate 150,000 hectares,” he noted.
Blair said there are currently 211 wildfires still burning across the country, with at least 82 burning out of control. “These conditions this early in the season are unprecedented,” he said.
Hot Temperatures
The government reports that there are out-of-control fires burning in the Halifax region and Shelburne, Yarmouth Counties, with a total of 16 active wildfires in the province as of 12 p.m. local time.Temperatures are expected to reach 32 degrees C on June 1, and fire crews have reported flames that reach 300 feet, according to local reports.
Poor Air Quality
Air quality is also an issue in the province with Environment Canada advisories affecting Shelburne County, the scene of the largest wildfire burning, which is near Barrington Lake in the southwest corner of the province. As of May 31 in the evening, that fire was burning about 830 hectares in size, and had destroyed more than 150 homes and led to evacuation orders affecting 160,000 residents.Halifax Fire deputy chief David Meldrum said at a May 31 news conference that 100 firefighters were working on hotspots and flareups, and additional fire crews had come from Charlottetown.
Officials are predicting it will be a long process to get the fires under control, due to a weather forecast of low humidity and very hot, dry conditions.
Officials say a new fire started burning out of control on May 31 in the District of Shelburne, at an estimated size of over eight square kilometres.
At Lake Road, in the Municipality of the District of Shelburne, there is an out-of-control, 120 hectare fire being fought by 23 DNRR firefighters.
A 163 hectare fire is burning out of control in Pubnico, Yarmouth County, with 20 DNRR firefighters on scene assisted by 10 others from municipal forces and volunteer fire crews.
Air and heavy equipment resources, including eight air tankers from New Brunswick and two water bombers from Newfoundland and Labrador, are being co-ordinated between the three wildfires in Shelburne and Yarmouth counties, according to the provincial government.
There is a provincewide ban on open fires and the province has increased the fine to $25,000.
