N.S. wildfire reignites memories of 2023 blaze for some residents

A wildfire at Big Indian Lake near Halifax was contained as of Thursday evening.

A wildfire that broke out near Big Indian Lake brought an emotional wave of déjà vu for some residents of Upper Tantallon, a Nova Scotia community devastated by wildfire two years ago.

One resident who lost his home in the 2023 blaze says he was shaken when the latest emergency alert landed on his phone.

“I think I just had to tell myself, until you know the worst-case scenario, try not to dwell on what might be,” said Andrew Vey. “Just focus on being here with the family.”

Nova Scotia’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR), along with Halifax Fire crews, responded to the wildfire on Wednesday afternoon. A helicopter was used to carry out aerial water drops as the fire spread through dry forest cover.

As of Thursday evening, the fire was being held at 0.5 hectares in size and no homes were at risk.

“It’s kind of between out of control and under control,” explained Scott Tingley, a natural resource management specialist with the department who focuses on wildfire and forest insect management. “The fire isn’t growing anymore, but the crews want to do a bit more work before they declare it fully contained.”

Six DNR staff members remain on scene, continuing suppression efforts with hand tools and water pumps to fully cool the perimeter and dig out hot spots.

Tingley said recent fires are burning much deeper in the forest floor than usual – a clear sign of the province’s prolonged dry conditions.

“These fires are requiring a significant amount of effort to fully extinguish,” he said.

Though the exact cause of the Big Indian Lake fire is still under investigation, Tingley said many recent wildfires may be linked to improperly extinguished campfires or other unauthorized burns.

“In some cases, the fires were started with good intentions,” he said. “But people don’t realize how much effort it takes to truly put them out, especially in dry conditions.”

In response, a provincewide burn ban has been issued. It’s expected to remain in place until mid-October or until conditions improve.

Tingley acknowledged the heightened concern among residents still recovering from the 2023 fire in Upper Tantallon.

“We certainly recognize there’s a particular sensitivity given how close this fire was to what happened last year,” he said. “But we’re concerned about any fires being started right now. This is not the time to be taking risks.”

For Vey, the alert was a reminder of how quickly things can change and how little time there is to react when they do. He hopes no one else has to relive what his family went through.

“It’s been a long road back,” he said. “We’re just glad to be home and hopeful we won’t have to go through it again.”

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