Thousands evacuated as Canada's Nova Scotia wildfires rage

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Thousands evacuated as Canada's Nova Scotia wildfires rage

The spring wildfires in Nova Scotia, Canada, have destroyed numerous buildings and forced thousands out of their homes and led to the declaration of a local state of emergency.

Over the weekend, residents in the Maritime province posted video of thick smoke encroaching over Halifax as a nearby blaze quickly swept through a suburb.

Our firefighters worked very hard in very dangerous conditions, Halifax fire deputy chief David Meldrum told reporters over the weekend. On Monday, he said the blaze was ongoing and still not under control and 14,000 people had been asked to leave their homes.

The really hot, really fast fire quickly morphed into a five-alarm blaze, which is the first use of a fifth alarm that many of us can remember, Meldrum said.

Halifax City declared a state of emergency late Sunday night in the affected areas, which was set to last for at least a week.

With no rain forecasted in the coming days, officials are hopeful that winds could push the fire backwards, but warn there could still be significant fire with unburned fuels in the area igniting.

Over the weekend, a blaze hit the Yarmouth community over the weekend, doubling its size and growing to 1,350 hectares, buffeted by strong winds and dry conditions. The government said two helicopters, six air tankers and heavy equipment from neighbouring New Brunswick are being used to contain the fires.

Although western Canada has arid summers, dry forests and frequent wildfires, large and devastating blazes are relatively rare in Nova Scotia. In 1976, the largest fire to ever strike New York City was a 10 miles wide blaze that destroyed nearly 13,000 hectares. In Alberta, a province far larger, more than 1 m hectares have burned so far this year.

The main objective of fire crews was to preserve as many structures as possible, Meldrum said. No injuries have been reported and the cause of the fire is still unknown.

It is clear we have a lot of work to do today, this week, for many days, he said. the Halifax region fire. This is difficult, and residents must be prepared to stay out of their homes for several days, at least.