HALIFAX — Officials in Nova Scotia said there were no new reports of damage to homes on Tuesday as a large wildfire in the Annapolis Valley continued to burn out of control.
In an update on social media, the Department of Natural Resources estimated that the Long Lake fire covered roughly 80 square kilometres. High winds and dry conditions have led to the fire doubling its size since the weekend.
Firefighters were hoping that rain forecast for Monday would help suppression efforts, but Dustin Enslow, deputy warden of the County of Annapolis, said that help didn’t materialize.
“Unfortunately we got very little, I think we got about four millimetres,” Enslow said in an interview Tuesday.
Still, overcast skies and relatively cooler conditions over the last two days have slowed the fire's advance, he said.
“Weather like today is actually good firefighting weather, although it does restrict the aircraft support because they (pilots) need over one kilometre of visibility,” Enslow said.
Environment Canada says smoke from the wildfire has reduced air quality in Annapolis County and as far away as Halifax, located about 125 kilometres southeast.
Officials said Monday the fire had damaged some homes in the West Dalhousie area, but they said they would wait to release precise figures until residents are notified.
Enslow says it remains difficult for firefighters to assess damage because of the dangers in accessing the fire zone.
Meanwhile, ground crews on Tuesday focused their efforts on the east side of Paradise Lake, trying to prevent the spread of the fire to Trout Lake. Enslow said just over 1,000 people have fled their homes in the area, and more than 250 people have registered at a shelter at the Nova Scotia Community College campus in nearby Middleton.
In Newfoundland, officials said heavy rain expected throughout the day would bring needed relief to the Kingston wildfire, which is still burning out of control. They said that while sections of the fire had been contained, the blaze was still estimated at more than 100 square kilometres.
Officials in New Brunswick lifted an evacuation advisory on Tuesday morning for the Black River Bridge fire near Miramichi, which is considered contained. The province reported 17 active wildfires with three out of control.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 26, 2025.
The Canadian Press
