How hurricanes are impacting Atlantic Canada wildfires

Hurricane Erin and other post-tropical storms passing by Atlantic Canada are “adding a bit of a different element” to wildfires burning in the region, but fire crews say they are prepared.

“Wind is only part of the fire equation, and I don’t think it’s a huge, game-changing factor,” Glenn McGillivray, managing director of the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction, tells Canadian Underwriter Monday. “It’s a pretty active fire season in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, which is not totally common but not exceptionally rare either.

“It just so happens that fire season also corresponds with North Atlantic hurricane season.”

Nova Scotia’s largest wildfire has grown, as firefighters contend with stronger winds following the passing of post-tropical storm Erin.

“Crews fighting the Long Lake fire in the Annapolis Valley in N.S. were gaining a bit of ground on the fire, but winds generated from post-tropical storm Erin were expected to worsen conditions,” McGillivray says.

The Long Lake wildfire remains out of control, but winds from the hurricane did not impact the fire as much as had been feared as of Saturday, CBC reported. In fact, the winds shifted in a favourable direction, pushing the fire away from threatened homes in the West Dalhousie Road area.

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As of Friday afternoon, Erin was about 500 kilometres south-southwest of Sable Island, N.S., with maximum sustained winds of 148 km/h, The Canadian Press says.

The Long Lake wildfire is estimated at 7,780 hectares as of Monday afternoon. It damaged “a number of homes” Sunday, after intensifying in the afternoon and evening, but the exact number has yet to be confirmed, Nova Scotia’s provincial government says in a press release. In a later release, the provincial government says 330 properties have been evacuated as of Monday. CBC adds some campers and trailers were destroyed earlier in the week.

Newfoundland fires

In nearby Newfoundland and Labrador, the Kingston fire in Conception Bay on Newfoundland’s southeast coast remains out of control and more than 10,000 hectares in size. A reported 196 structures have been lost in the fire, McGillivray says.

“Though at this time we don’t know entirely what exactly was destroyed, the 196 had electricity meters — so we can assume they are more than just outbuildings,” he adds. “A school and a post office were also destroyed, as were more than 200 wooden hydro poles.”

It’s unknown at this point if the lost structures were insured or not, says Michael Connolly, ClaimsPro’s vice president for Atlantic Canada.

“We have received a handful of claims that are fire-related, but nothing extremely alarming like we have seen in past wildfire evacuation situations,” he tells CU Aug. 20. “Our local team remains in a ready state to respond immediately to assist as required.” 

Earlier this month, about 20,000 residents around St. John’s were evacuated due to out-of-control wildfires in the province, CU reported at the time.

Just as Erin passes Atlantic Canada, Tropical Storm Fernand looks like it is going to miss Canada’s eastern region. As of 9 a.m. ADT Monday, the Canadian Hurricane Centre shows Fernand will pass east of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador, developing into a post-tropical storm with 65 km/h winds from late Tuesday night to Wednesday morning.

“It’s too early to be able to determine what impact, if any, Fernand may have on wildfires in Atlantic Canada,” McGillivray says.

“But it is important to note that hurricanes in the North Atlantic Basin spin counterclockwise, kicking out more [wind] on their left (western) side than on their right (eastern) side,” he says. “This could mean higher winds for Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.

“Much depends on how far out to sea the storm is.”

Jason Contant

Jason has been an award-winning journalist with Canadian Underwriter for more than a decade, including the past three years as associate editor and, before that, as digital editor for seven years.