Nova Scotia·UpdatedLarge plumes of smoke could be seen around Halifax on Tuesday afternoon from a fire near Bayers Lake Business Park, about 10 kilometres west of downtown.Smoke could be seen around Halifax on Tuesday afternoonAnjuli Patil · CBC News · Posted: Aug 12, 2025 2:29 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 minute agoSmoke billows from wildfire near Halifax’s Bayers Lake areaHeavy smoke could be seen Tuesday afternoon. People are being asked to avoid the Bayers Lake Business Park.Halifax residents are being asked to avoid the Bayers Lake Business Park as firefighters battle a wildfire in the area.Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency Chief Dave Meldrum told CBC News the call for the fire came in around 2:30 p.m. AT.Once crews arrived, they encountered a fire in the wooded area behind Julius Boulevard and Dugger McNeil Drive, behind Kent Building Supplies. Halifax Fire has 13 trucks at the scene, about 10 kilometres west of downtown Halifax.Four air tankers from New Brunswick have arrived and are actively dropping water on the fire.The provincial government currently estimates the size of the fire to be six hectares and says eight Department of Natural Resources (DNR) crew members are in Bayers Lake working alongside 30 firefighters from Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency.Two DNR helicopters are also in use. In an emergency alert issued after 4:30 p.m., the fire was described as “uncontrollable”. All businesses between Kent Building Supplies and Julius Boulevard have been evacuated. Other businesses in the area have told CBC News they have been asked to evacuate as well. Police said some streets have been closed, including Chain Lake Drive.No residences have been evacuated at this stage, police told CBC News around 4 p.m. Meldrum said there is no current risk to structures.An air tanker is seen after dropping water on a fire in the Bayers Lake area, about 10 kilometers west of downtown Halifax. (Michael Gorman/CBC)”Lessening the traffic congestion will help crews respond to the fire and allow those evacuating to leave safely,” police told CBC News in an email.Nova Scotia Health confirmed the Bayers Lake Community Outpatient Centre is being evacuated and that the facility’s emergency response plans are being activated. Anyone with an appointment scheduled for the remainder of the day should not attend. Those with blood collection appointments can go to the Bayers Road Centre location instead. What exactly are the stages of a wildfire?So much hard work goes into getting wildfires under control. Here’s what that work entails.Poor air qualityEnvironment Canada and Nova Scotia’s Department of Health and Wellness issued a special air quality statement on Tuesday afternoon, saying smoke from the Bayers Lake fire is reducing air quality in the metro Halifax and western Halifax County areas.People aged 65 and older, pregnant people, infants and young children, people with an existing illness or chronic health condition, and people who work outdoors, are considered higher risk and should avoid strenuous activities outdoors and seek medical attention if experiencing symptoms, the statement said. “As smoke levels increase, health risks increase. Limit time outdoors. Consider reducing or rescheduling outdoor sports, activities and events. You may experience mild and common symptoms such as eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches or a mild cough. More serious but less common symptoms include wheezing, chest pains or severe cough.”The statement recommended people keep doors and windows closed when indoors.”When there is an extreme heat event occurring with poor air quality, prioritize keeping cool,” the statement said.Smoke billowing out behind a building in the Bayers Lake Business Park on Tuesday around 3:15 p.m. (Michael Gorman/CBC)Veronica MacIsaac was out for lunch at Jack Astor’s in Bayers Lake when a friend spotted the smoke.”Behind the side of Bayers Lake where the Giant Tiger would be, there was just a huge big cloud of smoke and it very quickly was spreading through the restaurant,” MacIsaac told CBC News.”And people were quickly paying their bills and trying to get out of there.”Smoke from the fire in Bayers Lake could be seen from Bayers Road in Halifax. (Ben McDonald)MacIsaac said one of the staff at the restaurant drove out to see what was happening and noted some areas were being evacuated and roads were closing.”We got in an Uber and tried to get out of there, but traffic was already starting to get pretty congested,” she said.Smoke from the fire could be seen across Halifax on Tuesday afternoon.Smoke coming out from behind the Harding Medical building in Bayers Lake on Tuesday afternoon. (Jeremy Fukala)With files from Andrew Sampson and Carolyn Ray
Halifax-area crews battling forest fire near Bayers Lake
