Deputy Fire Chief says Fort McMurray fire stirs memories of 2008 Halifax-area fires

By Mark Hodgins

HALIFAX – Halifax Regional Municipality’s Deputy Fire Chief says the wildfire devastating Fort McMurray brings back images of forest fires that threatened the Halifax-area years ago.

Deputy Chief Roy Hollett said on Thursday that the Alberta wildfires conjure up memories of forest fires in Porters Lake in 2008 and in Spryfield in 2009, when wildfires forced evacuations in those communities.

Hollett said those were difficult fires to fight but there’s no comparison to the destruction in Fort McMurray.

“Of course, what we had here is no comparison to what they have in Alberta. I can only imagine,” said Hollet.

Hollett explained it took time to put together a plan to deal with the dangerous infernos here at home, and he’s amazed by the accomplishment of first responders in Fort McMurray, who were able to evacuate over 80,000 people without any direct loss of life.

“They see the smoke, they see the fire and within the hour they’re back and the fire is at the doorstep. The city is than able to coordinate getting people out where nobody is injured, that’s just amazing,” he said.

Hollett says he knows some of the Calgary firefighters helping battle the Fort McMurrary blaze but wants to let them focus on doing their jobs rather than trying to contact them right now.

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