The Province announced immediate new restrictions on May 30th to help stop further fires from starting. The full news release with further details regarding these restrictions is below.
Hiking, camping, fishing and the use of vehicles in the woods are not permitted until June 25 or until conditions allow for restrictions to be removed. People can still access beaches and non-wooded areas of provincial and municipal parks, but trail systems and wooded municipal parks like Shubie Park and Point Pleasant Park are off limits.
Camping is still allowed, but only in campgrounds. The also applies within National Parks. Please encourage people to stay out of the woods. There is a ban on all burning, including campfires and fireworks, in all parts of the province.
This information is being shared with travellers through social media and on NovaScotia.com. HRM is asking residents to refrain from unnecessary travel at this time and provincial marketing campaigns are temporarily paused. Tourism Nova Scotia is reinforcing that people can still visit areas of Nova Scotia that are not impacted, but must stay out of evacuation areas and follow the current forest fire safety restrictions.
For the latest updates on the fires, please see https://novascotia.ca/alerts/.
TIANS will continue to share any new information as it becomes available.
MEDIA RELEASE
NATURAL RESOURCES/RENEWABLES–Province Announces Restrictions During Wildfires
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As fire crews battle wildfires in Nova Scotia, the Province is announcing measures to prevent more from starting.
Tory Rushton, Minister of Natural Resources and Renewables, announced that travel and activities in the woods are restricted as of 4 p.m. on May 30.
“Safety is our top priority,” said Minister Rushton. “Conditions are extremely dry across the province, so we’re putting these restrictions in place to reduce the risk of additional fires.”
Hiking, camping, fishing and the use of vehicles in the woods are not permitted. People can still access beaches and provincial and municipal parks, but trail systems are off limits.
Camping is allowed only in campgrounds. The restrictions apply to Crown and private land. Private landowners are free to use their own properties but cannot host others to use wooded areas of their properties.
Forestry, mining and any commercial activity on Crown land, are also restricted. People who conduct commercial activity on Crown land can apply for a permit at their local Department of Natural Resources and Renewables office. Forestry companies working on Crown land can only work between 8 p.m. and 10 a.m. All companies and private landowners are encouraged to take this approach.
These restrictions are in place until June 25 or until conditions allow them to be lifted.
Quick Facts:
— Cape Chignecto, McNabs Island and Cape Split provincial parks are closed because they are backcountry camping/hiking parks
— there are currently wildfires in Nova Scotia covering more than 12,360 hectares
— there have been 195 wildfires to date this year; they have burned about 12,817 hectares
— in 2022, there were 152 wildfires that burned about 3,390 hectares
Additional Resources:
More information and updates related to the wildfires is available at: https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/…
Natural Resources and Renewables offices: https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/…
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Media Contact: Wildfire Media Relations
Cell: 902-220-8621
Email: wildfirecomms@novascotia.ca