Twenty homes and 11 outbuildings destroyed from Long Lake Wildfire in West Dalhousie.
The lost residences were on West Dalhousie, Morse and Thorne roads and not all were considered primary residences.
Structures were lost when the fire doubled in size on Sunday, August 24th, when explosive fire behaviour occurred.
Many homes had structural protection in place which included sprinklers installed by volunteer firefighters, whom spent days preparing and supplying such resources.
Bridgetown Firefighter looks at their maps after coming back from reaching the fire via ATV, August 13th.
“Our hearts are broken for residents in the West Dalhousie community who’ve lost their homes. It’s overwhelming to get that news, it will be a long road to recovery, and I know residents will find comfort through this strong, tight-knit community,” said Premier Tim Houston. “The saving grace is that there’s been no loss of life, more homes were saved than lost, and our crews are doing everything they can to prevent any further losses.”
The County of Annapolis informed affected residents about their properties. The municipality is establishing a navigator program to help property owners and evacuees access supports.
Assessment of damage will continue for other homes, outbuildings and campers/trailers as it is safe to do so in what is still an active fire scene. It is not yet safe to allow property owners, insurance professionals or other services into the area.
“It was devastating news, and our hearts were broken for those who lost their homes in the West Dalhousie wildfire. These were not just structures, they were places filled with memories, comfort and meaning. We are here to support our residents, not only today, but in the days and months ahead. Our commitment to help those affected is unwavering, as we continue this journey together.” Stated Diane LeBlanc, Warden, County of Annapolis
The West Dalhousie / Long Lake Wildfire has forced over 1,000 people to evacuate their homes which is still burning out of control at a new estimated 8,324 hectares from this morning.
505 civic addresses were evacuated – not all are residential properties, 518 evacuees have registered with the Red Cross.
Evacuations remain in place along with road closures on Morse Road, Thorne Road, West Dalhousie Road and Highway 10.
Todays resources include:
11 helicopters which is a new number, the remaining 6 planes plus bird dogs.
Ground resources, 12 DNR, 89 Ontario and 70 local firefighters, and 70+ heavy equipment operators.
The wildfire continues to burn uncontrolled as dry conditions are expected. The fire has almost made its way all the way around Paradise Lake while crews continue dozer work and minimizing its growth.
Updated map of the approximate burn area sourced from Minister of Emergency Management
Kim Masland on Facebook.
Today marks day 16 since the fire broke out.
Our thoughts are with all those impacted during this difficult time.
https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2025/08/28/twenty-homes-lost-long-lake-wildfires
Adrian J.
