Wildfire burning near Bayers Lake, Halifax Fire responding

Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency says the fire west of Bayers Lake was contained after 8:00 p.m. Monday evening. Crews have a wet line around the fire, but are not yet saying it is under control because the fire could still jump that line.

Dave Meldrum, division chief with the fire department, said the call about the fire came in at about 3:45 p.m. Monday afternoon.

By 6:30 p.m. Meldrum said there were about 25 firefighters in the woods working on the fire and another 20 firefighters are on standby. He said crews worked hard on the ground to get hose lines around the sides of the fire while the Department of Natural Resources helicopter dumped water on the head of the fire.

'It was an intense fire'

"We're going to continue to work this scene until sundown tonight and we'll monitor this fire because as is true for all wild land firefighters, we'll pull our people out at dark and monitor at night and we'll be here first thing in the morning to continue the work," said Meldrum.

Halifax Fire said the fire is approximately 10-15 hectares in size.

"It was an intense fire this afternoon with crowning behaviours. So when you see fire that's clear up into and above the treetops flaring well above the trees, those were crowning fires. Those are dangerous fires because firefighters on the ground can't fight that fire from the head of the fire or direction of travel," said Meldrum.

Meldrum said the fire happened close to Nova Scotia Power transmission lines, but that they were not damaged. He said residents should not be alarmed if they see some smoldering fires in the woods overnight because firefighters will be nearby.