N.S. crews continue battling out-of-control wildfire northeast of Halifax

The Mooseland Road wildfire, about 100 kilometres northeast of Halifax, is shown in this handout photo on Thursday, July 16, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - N.S. Department of Natural Resources (Mandatory Credit)

Crews in Nova Scotia were in the air and on the ground as they continued efforts Saturday to fight an out-of-control wildfire northeast of Halifax.

The province’s Natural Resources Department said the fire, which started earlier this week and triggered some evacuations, was nearly 14 square kilometres in size.

A provincial spokesperson said the affected area was three square kilometres less than reported Friday after more accurate mapping was completed. For example, he said, bodies of water were subtracted in the updated number.

The wildfire prompted Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency to issue an evacuation order Thursday night affecting about 100 cottages, cabins and homes along Mooseland Road.

Two fixed-wing water bombers from Newfoundland and Labrador were responding to the fire alongside two of Nova Scotia’s helicopters and four of the province’s fixed-wing water bombers.

Local and provincial crews have been fighting the fire since Wednesday, according to provincial officials.

Mooseland Road remained closed Saturday afternoon beginning at the intersection of Highway 7, Natural Resources said.

The department asked the public to avoid the area and stay clear of emergency crews.

Environment Canada forecasted a 60 per cent change of rain on Sunday for the Halifax area.

Meanwhile, the national wildland fire summary reported that more than 950 wildfires were burning across Canada on Saturday.

Hundreds of wildfires in Ontario, British Columbia, Manitoba and the Northwest Territories have led to air quality warnings and, in some cases, evacuations.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 18, 2026.

By Eli Ridder in Fredericton, with files from Lyndsay Armstrong.