In the aftermath of a devastating wildfire that swept through the Halifax area, authorities are preparing to notify remaining evacuees that they can finally return to their homes.
Addressing the press on Thursday, Halifax mayor Mike Savage said an alert will be issued to inform residents about when they can go back to their neighbourhoods.
“It is our plan that the majority of people who are still evacuated will be able to return to their homes,” the mayor said.
Erica Fleck, Halifax’s director of emergency management, said the municipality is prioritizing a safe return for residents.
According to Fleck, humanitarian organization Team Rubicon is arriving on Sunday to assist residents whose homes were destroyed or severely damaged by the fires, to help them sift through debris and salvage any remaining belongings.
A news release from the Halifax Regional Municipality said residents who live within what has been classified as the significant impact zone will be able to return within the next 10 days.
The wildfire, which originated in late May in the Upper Tantallon area, triggered the evacuation of over 16,000 people at its peak. Around 4,100 individuals remain under evacuation orders, and it is uncertain how many will be able to return home soon.
Fleck cautioned that those living in the hardest hit areas will have to wait longer before they can return home, citing safety concerns.
To adhere to Fire Act regulations, the municipality will install fencing around homes that were destroyed or heavily damaged; the process will be carried out in collaboration with insurance companies, Fleck added.
The wildfire has destroyed 151 homes, according to CBC News, and Halifax fire chief Ken Stuebing cautioned that it could take a “long, long time before the fire is declared out.”
“The declaration of a fire being out for such a high heat event sometimes takes a significant time,” he said, pointing to how it took “almost a year” for the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire to be declared out.
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