Thousands evacuated after wildfires in Canada

14,000 people have been evacuated due to wildfires in the eastern Canadian city of Halifax. About 200 homes in Nova Scotia were damaged by the fire – which is still not under control.

Thousands of people have been evacuated due to wildfires in Canada’s eastern province of Nova Scotia. About 14,000 people have been asked to evacuate their homes, Halifax City Deputy Fire Chief David Meldrum said. The provincial administration announced on Monday evening that an initial estimate of around 200 buildings has been damaged. Most of the affected homes are about a 30-minute drive northwest of Halifax.

Emergency in Halifax

A fire broke out Sunday in the town of Upper Dantalon, northwest of Halifax, where it damaged or destroyed dozens of homes. Initially there were no injuries. Nova Scotia officials said the fire had spread to an area of ​​about eight square kilometres. Meldrum said firefighters were focusing on local firefighting in residential areas to protect buildings and prevent the fire from spreading. Although the fire is not yet under control, it has not spread to a large extent.

A state of emergency was declared in Halifax on Sunday. Mike Savage, mayor of the city of 430,000, spoke of the fire as “unprecedented”. “The fact that we have not had to enlarge the evacuation zone since yesterday gives hope that the situation may have stabilized,” he told a press conference. He warned that the situation remains dangerous.

No rain in sight

The wind, which initially fanned the fire, drove the fire in the direction it came from. Officials have warned that the danger is not averted. The fire can be controlled only if it rains, they said. There is no chance of rain in the coming days.

Wildfires spread across eight of Canada’s 13 provinces and territories on Monday. Over the years, the country has been hit by repeated extreme weather events which, according to experts, are increasing in intensity and frequency due to climate change.