Out-of-control Nova Scotia wildfire grows overnight, more evacuations ordered

Advertisement

Advertise with us

AYLESFORD - Nova Scotia officials have ordered more evacuations because of the Lake George wildfire in Kings County that grew overnight and remains out of control.

Read this article for free:


or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Subscribe and receive a limited-edition Free Press branded hat or tote.

Digital Subscription

One year of digital access for only $205*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles

*First annual payment billed as $205.00 + GST for one year. This annual subscription will automatically renew at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks (10% off the regular annual price of $259.35). Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional

$1 for the first 4 weeks*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles
Start now

*Your next Brandon Sun subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $17.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 01/10/2025 (333 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

AYLESFORD – Nova Scotia officials have ordered more evacuations because of the Lake George wildfire in Kings County that grew overnight and remains out of control.

With more than 200 homes and other buildings ordered evacuated earlier in the week, officials on Wednesday expanded the order to include all civic addresses on Spruce Drive, Birch Lane and Blue Lane, and between 5 North River Road and 1493 North River Road. 

Officials estimated the wildfire at 290 hectares, up from 150 on Tuesday.

Smoke is seen over the landscape where firefighters are battling the Long Lake wildfire in Nova Scotia's Annapolis County, outside the community of West Dalhousie, N.S., on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese
Smoke is seen over the landscape where firefighters are battling the Long Lake wildfire in Nova Scotia's Annapolis County, outside the community of West Dalhousie, N.S., on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese

As well, the province extended wildfire season through to October 31. Normally, the season ends on October 15. A full burn ban remains in effect in Annapolis County, the area neighbouring the fire, and burn restrictions, updated daily, will continue to apply in all other counties to the end of the month.

The fine for violating the burn ban is $25,000. 

“We have never seen wildfire activity so late in the season, so we’re taking this step to help keep our people and communities safe,” said Tory Rushton, minister of natural resources, in a release. 

Firefighters from the Department of Natural Resources and the local detachment are on scene at Lake George with two helicopters, working on structure protection and fire breaks. 

An emergency evacuation centre has been set up at the Louis Millett Centre in New Minas, N.S.

Residents near the evacuated areas are advised to prepare an emergency kit should they be ordered to leave.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 1, 2025.

Report Error Submit a Tip

More Stories

New businesses start to creep up in former Winnipeg Slurpee shops

Tiago Resko 5 minute read Preview

New businesses start to creep up in former Winnipeg Slurpee shops

Tiago Resko 5 minute read Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026

The remnants of 7-Eleven can still be seen as new businesses move into spaces where Slurpee machines and taquitos once ruled.

As fresh paint dries on several new ventures — such as a pizza place and a convenience store with a name that might make a customer do a double-take — holes across Winnipeg once occupied by the international convenience chain are slowly being filled.

Business at a Domino’s Pizza in Elmwood, formerly a 7-Eleven, has been booming since it opened June 1, the store manager said.

“The issues that 7-Eleven would have had might be different than what we would have. They were dealing with a lot of theft where people can just walk in and out, but Domino’s isn’t set up that way,” said Paul Hemmerling.

Read
Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026

Advocate assembles gift bundles for Trans Day of Remembrance

Janine LeGal 6 minute read Preview

Advocate assembles gift bundles for Trans Day of Remembrance

Janine LeGal 6 minute read Yesterday at 7:00 AM CDT

In a world rife with chaos and division, there’s never been a better time for kindness, joy… and a cookie.

Kalyn Falk is on a mission to provide all three.

Falk founded the Trans Day of Remembrance Care Package Project in 2020 as a way to mourn those lost and to ensure that trans and non-binary people in the community feel valued, seen and cared for.

Trans Day of Remembrance is observed every year on Nov. 20 to honour the memory of transgender, two-spirit and non-binary people who lost their lives to acts of anti-transgender violence and systemic oppression.

Read
Yesterday at 7:00 AM CDT

Carney’s defence of Lake Ontario carries enormous weight

Niigaan Sinclair 5 minute read Preview

Carney’s defence of Lake Ontario carries enormous weight

Niigaan Sinclair 5 minute read Friday, Aug. 28, 2026

For centuries on Turtle Island (North America), explorers, map makers, and political leaders have erased Indigenous place names and substituted them — more often than not — with political, ethnocentric, and self-aggrandizing names.

In recent years, a few places on the continent have had Indigenous names re-established, but as of today, few of the original names are “official.”

So, it was no surprise when U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order directing the U.S. Department of the Interior and Board on Geographic Names to take steps within 30 days to officially rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America.”

The move may have been a result of the Canada-U.S. trade war and Trump’s pettiness and ego, but it also fits in perfectly with his career.

Read
Friday, Aug. 28, 2026

River City Sports Bar & Events Centre opens its many doors in Polo Park area

Aaron Epp 4 minute read Preview

River City Sports Bar & Events Centre opens its many doors in Polo Park area

Aaron Epp 4 minute read Friday, Aug. 28, 2026

Winnipeggers have a new option for food and entertainment in the Polo Park area.

River City Sports Bar & Events Centre celebrated its grand opening on Friday (with its soft opening to the public today). Located at 300-1395 Ellice Ave., the 15,000-square-foot, multi-purpose facility includes a sports bar that hosts live music, comedy, karaoke and major sporting events.

The building also includes a poker room and an events centre for weddings, socials, conferences and other private functions.

“The idea is to be a step above — give Winnipeg a new experience,” co-owner Mike Rozak said Friday. “We’re up for anything, as long as it’s legal.”

Read
Friday, Aug. 28, 2026

Of frogs, roses, kings and a Great Lake

Editorial 4 minute read Preview

Of frogs, roses, kings and a Great Lake

Editorial 4 minute read Yesterday at 2:01 AM CDT

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet, as the saying goes. Basically, if you change something’s name, you don’t actually change the nature of the thing.

That being said, if even 15 years ago an American president had called an entire news conference to announce he was renaming one of the Great Lakes by writing on a map with a red pen and issuing an executive order purporting to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America,” all and sundry would question his mental health.

Maybe, after witnessing so much from Donald Trump, we’ve all just been hardened off and the foolish is now expected daily. Perhaps it’s the political equivalent of the fable of the boiling frog.

As the fable goes, drop a frog into a pot of boiling water and it will jump right out. But put the frog in room temperature water and bring the pot to a boil, the frog will stay until its death. (It’s unlikely the frog would actually wait.)

Read
Yesterday at 2:01 AM CDT

Summer Reading Challenge concludes with more musings from young readers

8 minute read Preview

Summer Reading Challenge concludes with more musings from young readers

8 minute read Yesterday at 6:00 AM CDT

Another Free Press Summer Reading Challenge for Kids is in the books, but before we turn the page completely, there are a few more reviews written by our young readers to share.

Participating readers were tasked to write down their thoughts about any of the books on the Summer Reading Challenge’s three reading lists; with a range of formats (novels, graphic novels, books with pictures), themes and reading levels to choose from, budding reviewers of all ages were eager to share their opinion.

Those registered for the challenge received reading resources and activities throughout the summer, from word searches or puzzles based on the content of the books to a set of discussion questions and, in one instance, a special video from an author.

There were also more creative activities meant to engage readers’ critical thinking skills, all of which were free to access for anyone who signed up for the challenge.

Read
Yesterday at 6:00 AM CDT