Nova Scotia

The owner of a Nova Scotia daycare destroyed as recent wildfires ripped through the province says the flames consumed both her livelihood and a physical piece of twentieth-century history.

People with existing heart and lung conditions, seniors, pregnant people, and children are all particularly vulnerable to health issues from smoke inhalation. Smoke inhalation can worsen underlying conditions such as asthma, impact lung function and cause respiratory problems.

In all, there were four wildfires in the province burning out of control on Thursday, including the massive Barrington Lake fire in Shelburne County, which grew to more than 200 square kilometres despite a constant bombardment of water and fire retardant from a fleet of water bombers and air tankers.

"The fire was raging at such an incredible pace that I just wanted to save somebody else's house while I could," volunteer firefighter Mark Zawidzki said.

Fire officials were hoping for a break in the dry, windy weather, but the forecast did not call for any rainfall until Friday night.

Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson says new legislation will let Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador tap into the potential of offshore wind power development.

Fire officials said that with the return of dry, windy conditions, there could be a "reburn" in the evacuated subdivisions, which are spread out over 100 square kilometres.

On Sunday, a wildfire forced more than 16,000 people to evacuate their homes in Hammonds Plains, Upper Tantallon and Pockwock, which are suburban communities about 25 kilometres away from Halifax. The fire is now around 788 hectares in size and has destroyed a dozen structures.

On Wednesday, environmental charity Ecology Action Centre released its Roadmap for Nova Scotia Kelp Farming. The group says the province is “well positioned to gain a significant share of the $200-million North American regional market for products containing kelp and kelp-based ingredients.”

Beth Cranston’s issues with living near a landfill stretch far beyond an unpleasant smell. She’s increasingly concerned about the impact toxic construction materials like asbestos could be having on the water in her community.

A 13-turbine wind farm recently approved by the Nova Scotia government is worrying federal officials, who say there isn't enough information about what impact the project will have on the endangered roseate tern and other birds.

It started as a Coast Guard facility, two aging brick buildings on the Dartmouth side of Halifax Harbour.

Sustainable Marine Energy said the project was undermined by government red tape despite providing ample environmental monitoring data and trying to work with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. DFO says it has “developed a clear regulatory pathway" for the industry.

New Brunswick saw a six per cent rise in emissions, according to the Conservation Council of New Brunswick, which put out a provincial breakdown of the federal government’s National Inventory Report. That report, based on the most recent data available from 2021, is an analysis provided to the United Nations to show a country’s progress on reaching climate targets. 

The utility, Nova Scotia Power, hit around 32 per cent renewables between 2020 and 2022, but was mandated to achieve 40 per cent.