Bayers Lake wildfire expected to be contained soon: DNR

Crews are continuing to make progress with the wildfire in Halifax.

Officials believe a wildfire that has been burning in the Bayers Lake area of Halifax for two days will soon be contained.

“They’ve made very good progress and they’re actually starting to work inward from the perimeter and start cooling down that fire towards the middle as well, so we’re very happy with the progress that the staff and the fire department have made,” said Scott Tingley, manager of forest protection for the Department of Natural Resources, during a media briefing Thursday afternoon.

DNR says the Susies Lake wildfire is not growing and is still around 15 hectares. Thirty DNR crew members and 12 Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency firefighters are on site Thursday, 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 had grown to 300 hectares by Thursday afternoon 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.

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