More Halifax-area residents given the OK to go home as crews make progress with wildfire
CBC
More Halifax-area residents have been told they're able to go back home as crews make progress battling a wildfire that started on May 28.
According to an emergency alert issued around 7:30 p.m. on Monday, residents in an area known as Phase 2 can now return to Upper Hammonds Plains — except for residents of Bonsai Drive, Cyprus Court and Yew Street.
Hammonds Plains Road be open to traffic starting at 7 a.m. Tuesday. Access to the Phase 2 area is now available via Pockwock Road.
In a news release, the Halifax Regional Municipality said power might be out, but that work is being done to restore it.
The area most affected by the fire, Phase 3, is not expected to be opened for approximately six to 10 days.
Earlier on Monday, Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston says the province will be waiving well-water testing fees for residents affected by the wildfires in the province.
In an update with reporters Monday, Houston said testing kits will be available on Tuesday for pickup at the fire station at 2050 Hammonds Plains Rd. and at the Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change offices in Bridgewater and Yarmouth. More locations will be listed online.
"Please only pick up one of these testing kits if you have a well and live in one of the affected areas that was evacuated by the fires. We want to get those tests through quickly for people," Houston said.
Elizabeth Kennedy, director of the water branch of Nova Scotia's Department of Environment and Climate Change, said wildfires pose risks to wells. She said it could be from fuel tanks that were damaged or ashes of materials that were burned washing into the soil and making it into well water.
"If you are returning home after evacuation, our main message is you should be using an alternative water supply, bottled water or boiled water for drinking until you are able to flush and disinfect and test your well to know it is safe," Kennedy said.
Halifax Water has set up water stations where residents can fill their own containers with drinking water. Water stations are available at the following locations:
During the same briefing, Erica Fleck, the director of emergency management for the Halifax Regional Municipality, said municipal water systems in Halifax are tested regularly and so far are safe.
In an interview with CBC Radio's Mainstreet Halifax on Monday afternoon, Halifax Water spokesman Jeff Myrick said all tests at the Pockwock water supply — which was close to the Halifax-area wildfire — have come back showing safe results. He said there was no runoff from the wildfire.
Myrick said rain water quality is also being tested for contaminants. And Halifax-area tap water is being checked for heavy metals and other potential contaminants related to the fire, "but nothing is showing up today."