Early season wildfires in Maritime provinces has officials urging caution

Weekend wildfires in both New Brunswick and Nova Scotia have officials urging caution.

It’s only the end of April, so the early fire season is already causing concern.

In New Brunswick, Musquash Fire Chief Wayne Pollock’s crew was called out to Old Saint John Road in the Fundy Shores area on Sunday.

They were responding to a fire that had burned approximately 20 acres but fortunately didn’t pose a significant threat to the surrounding area.

“It was along the river down at what’s known as New River, off of the Mosquito Lake Road, and no dwellings were in the nearby area,” he said.

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As for the cause, Pollock says he spoke with the province’s Department of Natural Resources but has no concrete answers so far.

“We both came to the conclusion that it was probably somebody fishing along the river who had a campfire or possibly dropped a cigarette,” he said.

“It’s the only thing we can say as a possibility.”

In Nova Scotia, 15 wildfires have already been reported this season, including one on Sunday in Shelburne County.

The province’s director of Wildfire Management is urging residents to stay vigilant. Jim Rudderham says multiple fires burning at the same time can thin out resources quickly.

“Just because it says you can have a fire, you still have to maintain control of it,” he said.

“So that means if you decide to light one, you have to watch it, maintain it and make sure it’s actually out before you leave it.”

Nova Scotia also reported various brush fires and illegal backyard burns over the weekend.

“Unfortunately, this is what we do see at this time of the year, and that’s where we work again to promote the messaging to follow the provincial burn regulations,” said Halifax Fire Deputy Chief Roy Hollett.

All of Nova Scotia is currently under a burn restriction, with fires allowed between 7 p.m. and 8 a.m.

New Brunswick is currently under the same restrictions, with burning allowed from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.

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