More Halifax-area residents given the OK to go home as crews make progress with wildfire

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 is open to traffic Tuesday, as of 7 a.m. 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.

Residents can check ahead to see if tests are available. On Tuesday, Halifax Regional Municipality tweeted it was pausing distribution of tests due to limited capacity for lab testing. 

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.

• Using a well after a wildfire
• Nova Scotia well water testing 

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:

• 134 Micmac Drive, Micmac Drive Park.
• 290 White Hills Run, Madeline Symonds Middle School.
• 297 Pockwock Road, White Hills Care Centre.
• 711 Pockwock Road, Upper Hammonds Plains Community Centre.

Halifax municipal water safe

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 Nova Scotia 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."

WATCH | Nova Scotia officials give an update on the wildfires on Monday, June 5

Solid waste disposal

In an news release on Monday evening, the Halifax Regional Municipality said it's providing drop-off food waste bins for residents in the Phase 1 and Phase 2 area that experienced power loss during the mandatory evacuation. Packaged food is permitted. Garbage and leaf/yard waste are not permitted. Glass jars (with contents) must be kept separate and placed in the totes that are on-site. 

• 20 Greenhill Road, tennis courts, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 6.
• 19 Glen Arbour Way, Eisenhauer Park, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 6.
• 446 Sandwick Drive, Sandwick Park, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 6.
• 1452 White Hills Run, White Hills Park, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 6.
• 120 Cedarcrest Drive, Salty Dips Park, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 6.
• 134 Micmac Drive, Micmac Park, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 6.

People who needs to dispose of their fridge or freezer are asked to empty them out, call 311 to request the removal of chloroflurocarbons (CFCs) and put them on the curb on the next regular garbage collection day once the CFCs have been safely removed.

A fire outside Halifax that started May 28 in the area of Upper Tantallon and destroyed 150 homes is now contained. A large fire in Shelburne County in southwest Nova Scotia is still considered out of control, but fire officials say rain in recent days has helped crews battle the blaze.

Houston said the province is looking at housing options, including modular homes, for people who have been displaced by the wildfires — but he couldn't give a concrete timeline. 

"We understand the urgency and understand the existing housing crisis that's been here. This is going to add to that for sure," Houston said.

Matching Canadian Red Cross donations

He said both the Nova Scotia government and the federal government will be matching donations to the Canadian Red Cross. Bill Lawlor with the Canadian Red Cross said since Monday, 8,265 households have registered for help.

• Shelburne County wildfire update for Monday, June 5

Houston said small businesses impacted by wildfires in the Halifax area and Shelburne County are now able to apply for a $2,500 grant. To be eligible, a business must have received a mandatory notice to evacuate or were closed for at least five days because of the recent fires.

The province has lifted the ban on travelling in wooded areas of provincial parks, except for those in Shelburne County and places still under an evacuation order. It said parks and trails that were closed reopened Monday, except for Cape Chignecto and in Cumberland County, which will reopen Tuesday.

The Halifax municipality said in a news release the fire in the Upper Tantallon area, estimated at 950 hectares, is contained. It said there are still hot spots and flare-ups in some areas that pose a safety risk.

The municipality noted there were still 4,886 residents displaced. This is down from 16,492 at the peak of the fires.

In the 3 p.m. update with reporters on Monday, David Steeves, a technician of forest resources with Nova Scotia's Department of Natural Resources, said the rain has been a big help in fighting the wildfire in the Halifax area.

He said the department was able to reduce the number of people working at the site down to 25 DNR staff and one municipal representative.

HRCE schools reopen Tuesday

"Their role in this is if we require anything above and beyond what we have, extra manpower or machinery or apparatus, we can get that with a phone call," Steeves said.

Just after 4 p.m., the Halifax Regional Centre for Education said four schools that remained closed due to the wildfire will reopen on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., residents who live in the area where there's been a lot of fire damage can visit the Captain William Spry Community Centre (16 Sussex Street) to speak with staff from the municipality about the status of their property.

Photos of the properties will be available for residents from the area where there was the most damage. The municipality noted it doesn't have photos of homes outside the area of significant impact.

Representatives from major insurance companies will be available to speak with affected residents at the Canada Games Centre (26 Thomas Raddall Drive) on Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Black Point & Area Community Centre (8579 St Margarets Bay Road) is open as a comfort centre from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. daily until further notice.