Despite a few days of desperately needed rain, five active wildfires continue to burn across the province.

The provincial government confirms The Barrington Lake wildfire in southwestern Nova Scotia remains out of control.

Some 200 firefighters are battling the blaze with the help of four helicopters and four water bombers from Montana.

The four other fires in the province are listed as under control.

 

 

Free well-water testing kits are being distributed to residents affected by wildfires.

They’re being handed out by the province and municipal governments as thousands of Nova Scotians return home after being displaced by fires.

Groundwater in areas where fire moved through could be contaminated by residue, chemical retardants and fuel from ruptured tanks.

 

 

An animal rescue organization says it is seeing an increase in wildlife sightings and rescues with wildfires scorching large parts of Nova Scotia.

Hope for Wildlife says slower moving animals such as porcupines, fawns and baby birds would be affected by the wildfires.

It’s asking people to be careful when driving because animals that have lost their homes in the woods would be moving around, and face an increased risk of being hit by vehicles.

 

 

Nova Scotia Health is launching a new information tool to show residents predicted wait times at the province’s largest emergency departments.

It covers 10 emergency departments at hospitals across the province, including in New Glasgow – as well as Halifax, Dartmouth, Bridgewater, Yarmouth, Truro, Amherst, Kentville, Antigonish and Sydney.

Nova Scotia Health says estimated wait times are based on those at the less urgent end of the triage scale.

 

 

The provincial government says at least 100-thousand people have had personal information stolen following a cybersecurity breach.

Cyber Security Minister Colton LeBlanc says a government investigation indicates social insurance numbers, addresses and banking information of current employees of the public service, and employees of Nova Scotia Health and the I-W-K hospital, were taken.

He says the information was shared through the MOVEit file transfer service, which the province uses to transfer employee payroll information.

LeBlanc says the exact number of people affected could be higher or lower, depending what the investigation uncovers.

 

 

The Festival of the Tartans will not be held in 2023.

President Ken Langille and the Festival of the Tartans Committee made the announcement yesterday through social media.

A call opened following last year’s event to recruit members needed to sustain a core committee for organizing the Festival – but unfortunately, they were not able to gather enough volunteers to help.

As a result, they’re not able to prepare a Festival this year.