MUSQUODOBOIT HARBOUR — Halifax officials say some people who had to flee a forest fire on Sunday afternoon were being allowed back home, with provincial officials noting rain was falling and the blaze was being held.
RCMP began helping evacuate people earlier in the day after issuing a statement about a forest fire in Musquodoboit Harbour, about 45 kilometres east of downtown Halifax, and police also asked other residents to avoid the area.
Later, the Halifax Regional Municipality said some of the evacuees would be permitted to return home, while an evacuation centre would be opening for those not being allowed back.
Nova Scotia's Natural Resources department posted to social media late Sunday that the fire was being held at about 30 hectares in size and that rain was falling.
Fifteen firefighters would remain at the scene until dark, the department said, and would return Monday. It said a helicopter that was assisting the firefighters was leaving the scene.
RCMP spokesperson Guillaume Tremblay had been unable to comment on how many residents had been asked to leave their homes as of late Sunday afternoon.
A spokesman with the Halifax Professional Fire Fighters said in an emailed statement that the fire conditions were "serious, fuelled by thick brush, dry vegetation, and gusty winds." It said crews had been pulled from the woods for safety and were focusing on structure protection.
But a social media post from the union late Sunday noted the situation had improved.
"Rain has arrived in the area and fire crews have made strong progress. The situation has stabilized, and resources are now being gradually released from the scene," the post on X said.
Halifax firefighters and the RCMP were to remain in the area overnight to monitor the situation, a news release from the Halifax Regional Municipality said.
The municipality also advised residents close to the fire to close all windows and doors, shut down air exchangers and stay inside until air quality conditions improve.
A comfort centre has been opened at the Eastern Shore Community Centre in Musquodoboit Harbour, and the municipality said the centre will also serve as an evacuation centre for people unable to return home.
A 2023 wildfire in the western suburbs of Halifax destroyed 200 structures, including 151 homes. A heat dome and tinder-dry forests at the time fed the blaze, which forced more than 16,000 people to evacuate, with many evacuees encountering traffic jams as they fled.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 22, 2025.
— By Lyndsay Armstrong in Halifax.
The Canadian Press
