Residents tour burned out neighbourhoods

HALIFAX — Scores of Halifax-area residents whose homes have been destroyed by wildfires were to board buses Friday to get a look at what little remains of where they used to live.

Bill Moore, the region’s executive director of community safety, told a news conference that about 200 people would be part of the grim tour through subdivisions northwest of the downtown, which fire officials said would be safe to enter for a short time. About 200 structures, including 151 homes, have so far been destroyed in the Halifax area.

“We’re very sensitive to the trauma this may cause people,” Moore said, adding that the first people admitted back into the evacuation zone around Upper Tantallon and Hammonds Plains would be those whose homes were gutted by the flames.

Next, residents whose properties suffered less damage would be invited into the area to see their residences.

The wildfire that started Sunday in Upper Tantallon, N.S., was still considered out of control Friday, but 50 per cent of it was considered contained by firefighters as of Thursday.

Moore said the municipality had failed to reach about 65 people whose homes were damaged or destroyed, and he admitted there was a backlash when an email was sent out Thursday night about the visit.

“We understand that was not the best way to do that,” he said. “We certainly understand if that caused people concern .... But the reality is we only have a small window provided.”

Meanwhile, Moore said he spent Thursday meeting with affected residents and showing them photographs of the damaged area.

Deputy fire Chief Roy Howlett said some of the damaged and destroyed homes were still burning, and he stressed that the neighbourhoods within the evacuation zone are still part of an active fire scene. “I was out there last night,” he said. “The smoke was very thick, you could taste it .... We’ve had many flare-ups.”

As scattered showers moved across parts of the province Friday, fire officials warned that it wouldn’t do much to slow down four fire burning out of control. Still, the forecast was calling for steady rain tonight and into Saturday.

In all, more than 16,000 people were evacuated from homes and businesses in the Halifax area.

In the southwestern corner of the province, a much larger wildfire continued to burn out of control in Shelburne County, where 6,700 people have been evacuated from their homes – about half of the municipality’s population.