Another wildfire in Canada forces residents to evacuate the city
Updated:
May 30, 2023, 02:58 PM IST
A wildfire in the eastern Canadian city of Halifax, Nova Scotia led to officials ordering an emergency evacuation of residents of the city. The orders which were issued on Sunday, May 28 cover several suburban cities within a radius of 15 miles from Halifax. As per orders, the present state of emergency would prevail for seven days, unless lifted or extended and residents would not be allowed to return until advised by municipal authorities.
The evacuation is reported to have impacted nearly 18,000 residents of the region.
Evacuation is mandatory for the residents of Halifax
The Halifax Regional Municipality set up temporary accommodation for people fleeing the fire. However, the wildfire aided by strong winds and tinder-dry woods made the rescue services difficult. The authorities on Monday, May 29 reminded residents that the evacuation orders are mandatory and hence need to be followed.
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The road ahead is not easy
In a press release on Sunday, May 28, municipal authorities stated that the "emergency responders are working around the clock to keep people safe and reduce the threats posed by the fires". Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency Deputy Chief Dave Meldrum said that around 100 firefighters battled the fires overnight. He further anticipated that the emergency crews would have to work for several days ahead in order to control the wildfire.
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To leave or to stay?
The wildfire caused power outages. Roads which were affected due to smoke and flames made it difficult for the residents to evacuate the city. Videos of a dashcam recording the astonishment of the driver and the passenger leaving the city engulfed by smoke have been doing the rounds on social media platforms.
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Situation is still not under control
Halifax Mayor Mike Savage commented on Monday, May 29 on the fast-moving wildfire that has resulted in a mandatory evacuation process. He said that "we are in an unprecedented fire response that has displaced more than 16,000 residents of our community. Now, we have not expanded the perimeter since yesterday, which is some hope that perhaps the situation has stabilized".
Tuesday, May 30, 2023 at 6:46 am