Officials Declare Halifax-Area Wildfire Largely Contained as Rain Brings Relief

Firefighters' helmets and water bottles rest against the windshield of a truck at a command centre within the evacuated zone of the wildfire burning in Tantallon, N.S., outside of Halifax, on May 31, 2023. The Canadian Press/Darren Calabrese

HALIFAX—A Halifax−area wildfire that forced thousands of residents from their homes over the past week is 85 per cent contained and no longer spreading, officials said Saturday morning.

David Steeves, a technician of forest resources with Nova Scotia’s Department of Natural Resources and Renewables, told reporters the fire was sitting at 9.5 square kilometres and is unlikely to grow due to a combination of firefighting efforts and long−awaited rain.