(Friday, August 3, 2001 , 8pm)-...The fire which was discovered burning just off the Pockwock Road in Upper Hammonds Plains, almost twenty-four hours ago, has been contained. The Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources(DNR) officially announced the containment of the fire on the scene this evening at approximately 7 p.m.

Fire crews were to be pulled out of the woods for the night at around 8:30 pm, shortly after the announcement was made. It was also the view of officials at the scene that the fire had been subdued enough so that it no longer warranted being observed overnight.

While not yet fully under control, fire crews and helicopters worked very effectively all day, despite the extreme heat and humidity, to surround the 20-25 acre perimeter of the burning area.While much of the credit has been given to the firefighting DNR and HRM crews on the ground and DNR helicopters in the air, the sudden, heavy, ten minute rain shower which occurred late this afternoon in the Upper Hammonds Plains area, was also viewed to have played a part in the succesful containment of the fire.

Approximately 30 firefighters are scheduled to return to the woods early tomorrow at around 6:30 am to bring the fire further control.Once the blaze is declared under control by the Department of Natural Resources, it is expected that the municipal EMO presence at the site will be ramped down. The withdrawal of HRM emergency personnel could occur as early as Saturday afternoon. The N.S. Department of Natural Resources firefighting crews will remain at the scene for the next few days until it has been completely extinguished.

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Contact:

Lori Patterson
Acting Corporate Communications Officer
(902)489-6833
or 430-3812