Massive forest fire in Yarmouth County now 60% under control

A massive forest fire that began Monday in Yarmouth County is now 60 per cent contained, according to the Department of Natural Resources and Renewables. 

Scott Tingley, the manager of forest protection for the Department of Natural Resources and Renewables, said Friday morning on Information Morning that the perimeter of the 3,100-hectare fire won't grow.

"A lot of the fire is self-extinguishing," Tingley said. "It's not burning very deep. It's a fast-moving spring fire, so we're including that in the containment line."

Two helicopters, a water bomber and 40 firefighters were at the fire scene Thursday.

Tingley said the fire moved quickly on Tuesday and that bogs in the forest contributed to the rapid spread.

However, he said there is a lot less smoke than there was earlier in the week and the fire has not moved any closer to nearby communities. 

Tingley said the department is expecting the fire to continue for a few weeks.

"We'll see what the weather brings here," he said. "We're kind of anticipating a downtrend, so cooler temperatures, maybe a bit of precipitation, and much higher humidity starting Sunday. So we're hoping that forecast comes true."

Cause of fire remains unknown

He said firefighters are in good spirits. 

"They're working hard," he said. "They're putting in long days and they're doing a great job and they're making progress."

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Tingley said there are "no active forestry operations in the area."

Tingley said the department is encouraging the public to spread the word on burn restrictions. He said there are 21 fires burning across the province.