HALIFAX — Fire officials in Nova Scotia are worried more wildfires will be ignited in the days ahead after thunderstorms rolled across the province Thursday night and into the morning.
Forest protection director Jim Rudderham says lightning can penetrate deep into the ground, which means it can take some time for the resulting heat and fire to emerge.
Rudderham says that’s bad news for a province experiencing very dry conditions as 11 wildfires continue to burn across mainland Nova Scotia, including one that remains out of control in Annapolis County.
That fire, which started Wednesday, grew from three to four square kilometres in the past two days, forcing the evacuation of about 100 homes in the West Dalhousie area, about 125 kilometres west of Halifax.
Rudderham says provincial officials had asked for help from water bombers in another province, but those aircraft could not make it to Nova Scotia because of the long line of thunderstorms.
He says the availability of water bombers has been stretched thin because of the ongoing wildfires across Atlantic Canada.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 15, 2025.
The Canadian Press
