**** HRM Media Release
Municipal fires and impacts update – June 4, 11 a.m.
The Halifax Regional Municipality is advising residents of the following updates and impacts to municipal services as a result of the ongoing fires.
Monitoring the situation
The status of the evacuation zone continues to be assessed and an update on any changes will be shared immediately after a decision has been made. The latest information is available on halifax.ca/fire. View the most recent map of the fire evacuation areas and state of local emergency zone that outlines the area of significant impact.
The municipality will make a further announcement later today regarding the next phase of lifting evacuation orders in specific communities.
Access to information for residents in the area of significant impact
Residents in the area of significant impact can visit the Canada Games Centre (26 Thomas Raddall Drive) to speak with municipal staff about the status of their property today, Sunday, June 4, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Photos of affected properties will be available to residents in the area of significant impact. The municipality does not have photos of damage to homes outside of the area of significant impact.
Resources are being provided at the Canada Games Centre including victim services workers and mental health support.
In addition, major insurance companies and their representatives will be available to speak with affected residents on Sunday, June 4 at the Canada Games Centre. Future opportunities to speak with their representatives will be available in the coming days.
Residents are reminded that the Canada Games Centre is not open for regularly scheduled programming until Monday, June 5.
Preparation for recovery phase
The municipality is preparing for transition to the recovery phase. Planning is underway for the process of allowing residents to return to the evacuation area as soon as it is safe do so.
As previously announced by the municipality, residents may not be able to return to the area of significant impact for several days, pending the completion of safety assessments. While the broader evacuation area was less severely impacted by fire, there are many properties within that area that have been impacted by smoke and debris.
Key components of the recovery phase include:
Prior to the return of residents to the evacuation area
- Soil sampling and air quality assessment will be completed by the municipality, in collaboration with the Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Climate Change, to confirm safe levels
- Water supplies will be made available in all neighbourhoods
- Solid waste containers will be placed in neighbourhoods where they are required and collected on a regular basis until no longer necessary
Following the return of residents to the evacuation area
- Ongoing monitoring of air quality
- Ongoing provision of water supplies
- Security will be provided in neighborhoods located in the area of significant impact (specifically to monitor those properties that are not inhabitable) and this service will continue until determined to be no longer necessary
- All contractors secured by the municipality to provide recovery phase services will be verified and security passes will be provided
More information will be provided as soon as details are confirmed, and ongoing status updates will be available on halifax.ca/fire.
Comfort centre
The Black Point and Area Community Centre (8579 St Margarets Bay Road) will operate as a comfort centre until 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 4.
Solid Waste
To allow for prompt disposal of spoiled food, the municipality is providing drop-off bins for residents in the Stillwater Lake and Haliburton Hills neighbourhoods that experienced power loss during the mandatory evacuation. Packaged food is permitted. Glass containers and leaf/ yard waste is not permitted. Drop-off bin locations/ hours:
- 30 Bingham Drive (municipal greenspace): Sunday, June 4, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- 239 Windsor Drive (municipal greenspace): Sunday, June 4, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The drop-off bins will no longer be in place on Monday, June 5.
Residents who need to dispose of their refrigerators and freezers are asked to:
- Remove the contents;
- Contact 311 to submit a request to remove the CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons); and,
- Place the item(s) curbside on the next regular garbage collection day once the CFCs have been safely removed.
A reminder that garbage set out limits on Monday, June 5 will be relaxed only in the Stillwater Lake and Haliburton Hills neighbourhoods, and that garbage set out limits on Tuesday, June 6 will be relaxed only in the Hammonds Plains Area – Kingswood neighbourhood.
Emergency exits
The municipality is exercising its powers during the State of Local Emergency to build two permanent gravel gated emergency exits on municipal land to provide additional travel options in an emergency, such as these fires.
- A clearing from the Haliburton Hills subdivision to connect Buckingham Drive to Highway 103. This exit is currently under construction.
- A clearing from the Highland Park subdivision, from the end of Sylvania Terrace to Hammonds Plains Road. Construction will begin in the coming days as soon as it is safe to do so.
Any consideration of additional emergency exits in the areas impacted by the recent fires will be determined on a case-by-case basis as part of the upcoming recovery efforts.
Please visit halifax.ca/fire or follow @hfxgov on Twitter for all updates.
