(Wednesday, August 8, 2001) - 22:10 p.m. - There is a fire watch overnight and Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency Service crews will be on the scene at first light tomorrow morning to continue to battle a forest fire at the top of Main Avenue in Fairview.

As a result, motorists are advised that the inbound ramp from Highway #103 to Highway #102 (Bicentennial Highway) will be closed to traffic during the early morning drive times.

HRM firefighters, with the assistance of a Department of Natural Resources helicopter crew, had the blaze contained shortly at 7 p.m. this evening. The fire, first reported at approximately 4 p.m. quickly spread over a 15-20 acre area bounded by Dunbrack Street, the Bicentennial Highway, the Highway #103 ramp and the top portion of Main Avenue in Fairview.

At one point, the fire burned within 500 feet of one of the main Nova Scotia Power transmission lines into Halifax, which serves approximately 23,000 customers. NS Power officials were on site in the event power to the transmission line had to be cut.

No houses or apartments in the Dunbrack Street/Main Avenue area were in immediate danger of the fire and residents were not forced to evacuate. Fairview Villa, a seniors nursing home at the corner of Dunbrack and Main Avenue, was advised to go on emergency alert due to the heavy smoke from the forest fire.

HRM issued a Public Service Announcement, advising area residents with bronchial or respiratory ailments to close their windows to prevent smoke from entering their homes. Those experiencing breathing difficulty or discomfort were urged to seek alternate accommodations for the night or to go directly to hospital emergency outpatient service.

Winds were forecast to remain calm overnight and temperatures are expected to soar to between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius again on Thursday.

HRM municipal parks and wooded areas remain open, but users are advised to exercise extreme caution, stay on pathways and to refrain from smoking or using other forms of ignition in those areas.

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Contact:

John O'Brien
Corporate Communications Officer
(902)490-6531