Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston offered an update on wildfires in the province Wednesday.
Houston, who spoke alongside Scott Tingley, manager of Forest Protection with the Department of Natural Resources, started off by mentioning how dry things are in and around the province, noting some forest contractors are voluntarily pausing their operations because it is too dry.
Nova Scotia Premier and Pictou East MLA Tim Houston (Communications Nova Scotia photo)
Houston said the province averaged two fires a day over the last week, adding natural resources responded to 17 fires on Tuesday. The premier said the main reason there hasn’t been a major catastrophe yet is the work of Nova Scotia’s firefighters, adding it is up the rest of the province to support them.
Speaking about the 12 fines issued since the government restricted travel in the woods last week, Houston said he hopes they are all fully prosecuted and collected.
Houston said they are also asking those who carry out industrial activities, including farming, to have fire equipment accessible and where possible, water. Houston said they will reassess constantly, adding again the province needs significant rain.