Municipal authorities in Kings County are urging individuals to refrain from entering mandatory evacuation areas due to the uncontrollable Lake George wildfire. Dave Corkum, mayor of the Municipality of the County of Kings, emphasized the risks posed by people driving into the evacuation zones near the fire on ATVs, not only jeopardizing their safety but also endangering the first responders.
The Department of Natural Resources provided an update on Monday, stating that the fire continues to burn deeply and has slightly increased in size to 288 hectares, with no reported structural damage. The ongoing firefighting efforts involve 35 Department of Natural Resources personnel, 23 local firefighters, 39 individuals from B.C., two planes from Newfoundland and Labrador, four from the Northwest Territories, six helicopters, and 18 pieces of heavy machinery.
With temperatures projected to reach the high 20s in Kings County, Mayor Corkum highlighted the challenging conditions faced by firefighters due to the exceptionally dry weather and potential wind concerns.
Over 350 residences and cottages around Lake George and the west side of Aylesford Lake have been evacuated, with 205 households registering at the Red Cross evacuation center in New Minas. While most evacuees are staying with relatives or in hotels, none have been permitted to return to the evacuation zones.
In a positive development, the Baxters Harbour wildfire, a smaller fire that emerged in Kings County over the weekend, has been brought under control, according to the Department of Natural Resources.
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