After a week of devastating damage, the wildfires in the Halifax area are now 100 per cent contained, according to the Department of Natural Resources.
In a release Sunday, DNR officials said the Tantallon-Westwood Hills fire is now at an estimated 950 hectares. Nearly 80 firefighters remain on scene.
With the help of steady rain, fire crews were able to bring the fire to 85 per cent containment on Saturday.
The fire damaged or destroyed 150 homes and more than 200 structures since it broke out last weekend.
A much smaller wildfire in Hammonds Plains, at just four hectares, is also contained, according to Sunday’s update.
The Halifax Regional Municipality announced in a release on Sunday that residents in “areas of significant impact” may visit the Canada Games Centre from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to see photos of damaged properties and speak with municipal staff about the status of their homes. Major insurance companies will also be on site.
The city said it is preparing for transition to the “recovery phase” and is planning to return evacuated residents back to the area as soon “as it is safe to do so.”
But those in the area of significant impact may still be unable to return for several days, the city said, pending the completion of safety assessments.
City installing new emergency exits
Halifax Regional Municipality is using powers granted by the state of local emergency to install two permanent emergency exits in the Haliburton Hills and Highland Park subdivisions.
The Haliburton Hills exit, which will connect the Buckingham Drive to Highway 103 is already under construction.
The clearing in Highland Park, which will go from the end of Sylvania Terrace to the Hammonds Plains Road, will begin once it is safe to do so, officials say.
Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency Deputy Chief David Meldrum and David Steeves, a DNR forest resources technician, will provide a briefing at 5 p.m. Sunday
According to the city, this will be the last scheduled update at the command post unless conditions change.
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