“Approximately 200 homes or structures have been damaged” in the Tantallon wildfire, according to preliminary estimates from Halifax Regional Municipality.
“A full assessment of the damage cannot yet be confirmed. The estimated numbers are based on initial visual inspections by first responders,” HRM said in a news release Monday night.
Once detailed mapping is complete, the municipality said it would make more information available to residents.
“The municipality is currently developing a plan to support affected residents. It is anticipated that this process will take several days, or maybe longer, as the fires remain active,” the release said.
Officials had previously been more conservative in their estimates, first saying there were 10 or more homes lost. Premier Tim Houston said “dozens” were lost during a news conference earlier on Monday.
The fire, which started in the Westwood Hills subdivision on Sunday afternoon, was still out of control Monday night. The size of the fire stayed the same throughout the day Monday, at about 780 hectares.
Evacuation orders remained in place for more than 16,000 people Monday night, with no indication of when they would be allowed back in the area.
“Residents continue to be reminded that the current evacuation orders are mandatory, which means residents must evacuate in accordance with local authorities, such as police, firefighters and ground search and rescue,” the municipality said in the news release.
“Residents are not allowed to return to their homes until they are advised that it is safe to do so by municipal authorities. Residents must remain clear of the area and refrain from filming and taking photos of the fire area, including flying personal drones.”
The Canada Games Centre remained open Monday night, and comfort centres in Black Point and Beaver Bank were expected to reopen at 7am.
Click here to visit our Nova Scotia wildfires resource page.