Out-of-control wildfire in Nova Scotia threatens homes in Annapolis Valley

AYLESFORD – Firefighters in Nova Scotia tried to contain a late-season wildfire on Tuesday that has forced the evacuation of more than 200 homes and other buildings in the Annapolis Valley.

Officials estimated that the Lake George fire, fuelled by dry and windy conditions, was roughly 150 hectares in size and burning out of control — covering about half the territory reported on Monday. 

Jim Rudderham, director of fleet and forest protection with the Department of Natural Resources, said officials initially overestimated the size of the fire, which broke out on Sunday.

“We did give an estimate last evening but there was a lot of smoke in the air and it was very difficult to do, so we got a better estimate this morning,” Rudderham said.

Officials declared the fire out of control on Monday, and ordered the evacuation of nearby campgrounds and homes. By Tuesday, residents on Birch Lane, Spruce Drive and Blue Lane at Aylesford Lake’s southwest end were asked to be prepared to evacuate.

Dan Stovel, an emergency measures coordinator with the Municipality of the County of Kings, said that as of Tuesday afternoon, 275 civic addresses have been evacuated, and another 56 are under an alert to be evacuated at a moment’s notice.

“Not all of those (residences) are occupied 365 days a year and we do have ongoing research with respect to the number of cottages or permanent residences in those areas,” Stovel said. Officials also said there had been no reports of any damage to homes or buildings in the area.

Stovel said that so far about 60 evacuees have registered with the Canadian Red Cross at a shelter set up at the Louis Millett Community Complex in New Minas, N.S. 

Andrew Mitton, with the Department of Emergency Management, said work was ongoing with the Aylesford Fire Department to protect buildings closest to the fire with specialized equipment. “One of these (protection) units can typically cover about 80 homes depending on how close they are to each other,” said Mitton. “We are deploying these based on the areas of greatest need.”

Meanwhile, Rudderham said the cause of the fire was likely human.

“There hasn’t been any lighting so we know it has to be caused by human activity one way or the other,” he said. “Our conservation officers investigated the scene yesterday but there was not enough evidence to determine an exact cause.”

Rudderham said he has never seen a wildfire this late in the season. “Tomorrow is October and in most of my experience in this province the rain starts in September and we are pretty much done (the fire season), so this is a new one for me.”

Later Tuesday, the province said that 43 firefighters were battling the flames assisted by two water bombers from Quebec, three helicopters and six pieces of heavy equipment to build fire breaks.

“Our crews are working very hard to make progress despite the dry, windy conditions,” Rudderham said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 30, 2025.

— By Keith Doucette in Halifax