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Re-Entry Begins for Some Evacuees of Long Lake Wildfires

Press Release

2 September 2025

Residents in some areas affected by the Long Lake wildfires in Annapolis County will be able to return home Wednesday, September 3.

Re-entry will be done in a phased approach for the following areas:

  • beginning at 9 a.m. – all roads around Trout Lake
  • beginning 11 a.m. – roads around Zwickers Lake and East Lake
  • beginning 1 p.m. – Highway 10; West Dalhousie Road from Highway 10 to Che-Boag-A-Nish Road; and Che-Boag-A-Nish Road (Connell Lake).

Residents are to arrive at the Crisp Road or West Dalhousie Road checkpoints with a valid piece of identification proving their civic address for re-entry.

At 4 p.m., Highway 10 will reopen to the general public.

“We know how difficult this evacuation has been for residents and that everyone is anxious to get back home,” said Natural Resources Minister Tory Rushton. “Thanks to the tireless work of our firefighters, air crews and a host of other professionals, we’re happy that it is now safe for some residents to return home. We’ll keep working hard to make other communities safe so others can return home as soon as possible.”

The decision follows careful assessments by the Department’s wildfire experts and is based on current fire behaviour, air quality and road access.

Residents returning home are advised to:

  • drive with caution as fire crews may still be working in the area
  • be aware of air quality advisories and limit exposure if sensitive to smoke
  • check the home for damage before re-entering
  • residents should remain prepared to evacuate should fire behaviour change.

The following areas remain under evacuation orders and are not yet safe for re-entry:

  • the section of West Dalhousie Road from Che-Boag-A-Nish Road to Meadow Road
  • all of Heartland Road, Thorne Road and Medicraft Lane
  • Morse Road remains closed from Neaves Road to West Dalhousie Road.

The Department continues to monitor the wildfire situation closely and will provide updates as new information is available.

Quotes:

“We are grateful to have reached this point where residents from Highway 10, Trout Lake and Zwickers Lake areas can return home. This is a positive step forward, but the wildfire is still not out and remains out of control. Please stay alert, remain prepared and have a plan in case conditions change and evacuation becomes necessary again. We deeply appreciate your patience, co-operation and resilience throughout this difficult time. Together, we are moving forward while keeping safety our top priority.”
— Diane LeBlanc, Warden, County of Annapolis

Quick Facts:

  • the Long Lake wildfires complex is still out of control and currently estimated at 8,468 hectares, or more than 84 square kilometres (a wildfire complex is several fires that are being managed by one incident management team with resources being moved between them as necessary)
  • the re-entry includes about 360 civic addresses; about 131 addresses remain under an evacuation order
  • an emergency financial support program is available for those displaced from their primary residence, based on the number of days evacuated
  • emergencies are stressful and can be overwhelming; mental health and well-being resources available to support people are listed at the end of this release
  • Nova Scotians are encouraged to watch for regular, official updates on provincial government social media accounts and the emergency alerts and information web page

Additional Resources:

Latest information on Long Lake wildfires complex (provincial emergency alerts and information web page): https://novascotia.ca/alerts/

Wildfire updates from the County of Annapolis: https://annapoliscounty.ca/government/news-media-releases/2200-west-dalhousie-wildfires-update

Returning home after the wildfire evacuation: https://annapoliscounty.ca/images/2025/REMO/Hoyt_Lake_Wildfire/Non_Effected_Wildfire_Evacuation_Re-Entry.pdf

Financial support for evacuees: https://novascotia.ca/wildfire-support/

Assistance for evacuees in navigating supports: https://annapoliscounty.ca/government/news-media-releases/2204-west-dalhousie-wildfires-evacuees-registration

Department of Natural Resources on X: https://x.com/NS_DNR

Department of Emergency Management:

Province of Nova Scotia:

Emergency mental healthcare is available at the toll-free numbers below or a hospital emergency department:

  • provincial mental health and addictions crisis line: 1-888-429-8167 (available 24 hours a day)
  • national suicide crisis helpline: 988 (24 hours)
  • Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868 (24 hours)
  • Hope for Wellness Helpline (Indigenous): 1-800-777-5888

Support with a mental health or addiction concern is available through the provincial mental health and addictions intake service at 1-855-922-1122 or https://accesswellness.lifeworks.com/nova-scotia-en.html

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