Nova ScotiaNatural Resources announced on Wednesday evening that the fire is being held and that the evacuation zone is considered low risk. Residents will be able to start heading home in a phased approach on Thursday.Natural Resources will allow a phased return on Thursday afternoonAnjuli Patil · CBC News · Posted: Oct 08, 2025 8:09 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours agoNova Scotia Natural Resources said residents will need to provide a piece of identification proving their civic address at the appropriate checkpoint. (Province of Nova Scotia)Everyone who had to leave their home because of the Lake George wildfire will be able to return home on Thursday, after the province announced the fire had been “held” as of Wednesday evening.Held means the fire is not likely to grow as long as conditions don’t change. The wildfire is still not under control and could still grow, but in a release issued Wednesday night, Nova Scotia Natural Resources said the risk is low for the areas that were evacuated.Evacuees will be able to return home on Thursday in a “phased approach” with designated checkpoints.From 10 a.m. to noon, all residents living on North River Road and Aylesford Lake can return via the checkpoint on North River Road before Old Mill Lane.From noon to 2 p.m., all residents living on Lake George and from 3847 to 4955 Aylesford Rd. can return through the checkpoint on North River Road before Old Mill Lane.From noon to 2 p.m., residents of 5789 to 6128 Aylesford Rd. can return via the Fox Mountain campground checkpoint.Barricades will remain in place allowing re-entry for residents and not the general public, according to the release. Residents will need to provide a piece of identification at the checkpoint to prove their civic address.A local state of emergency is still in place for Kings County.Natural Resources said in the release that the active wildfire zone will remain barricaded and only staff responding to the wildfire will be allowed in the area. This includes Aylesford Road between G2 Road and 5789 Aylesford Rd.The Lake George wildfire covers an estimated 288 hectares and the evacuation zone included 355 civic addresses. The fire broke out on Sept. 28 and residents were told to leave their homes on Oct. 1. ABOUT THE AUTHORAnjuli Patil is a reporter with CBC Nova Scotia’s digital team.
Lake George wildfire evacuees cleared to return home soon
