N.S. offers $500 to households under mandatory wildfire evacuation

N.S. group helps wildfire victims find lost items Team Rubicon is helping wildfire victims in Nova Scotia recover keepsakes that may have been lost in the wildfires.

Households told to evacuate because of wildfires burning in Nova Scotia will be eligible for a $500 payment, the premier announced Monday.

It’s a first step to try and ease some of the financial stress felt by evacuees, said Tim Houston at a press conference.

He said the province is working with the Red Cross to distribute the money.

“We will be there to support you in any way we possibly can as a province.”

The province will now also pay the mileage for volunteer firefighters who need to travel to another community to fight fires, including wildfires, according to a statement from the premier's office.

It says volunteer fire departments can submit their invoices to the provincial Emergency Management Office (EMO).

At least two wildfires are burning out of control in Nova Scotia. Thousands of people have fled homes in areas around northwest Halifax, with the city in a local state of emergency.

Another fire, covering a much larger area — more than 6,200 hectares — is burning in Shelburne County. It's also caused many to flee their homes.