HALIFAX — New wildfires may ignite in Nova Scotia following thunderstorms that swept through the province Thursday night into Friday morning, according to a fire official. Jim Rudderham, the director of forest protection, warned that lightning can penetrate deep into the ground, creating a risk for future fires.

Rudderham explained during a virtual briefing, "The layers right down through the soil are very dry. Lightning has a lot of power. It could drive into the ground and take some time to work its way back out again with fire. It might take a while to pop up."

As of Friday, Nova Scotia was already grappling with 11 active wildfires. One significant fire in Annapolis County has been out of control since Wednesday, expanding from three to four square kilometers in just two days. This fire has led to the evacuation of approximately 100 homes in the heavily wooded West Dalhousie area, located about 125 kilometers west of Halifax.

On Thursday, provincial officials sought assistance from water bombers in another province. However, those aircraft were unable to reach Nova Scotia due to a line of thunderstorms. Rudderham noted that the availability of water bombers has been limited due to ongoing wildfires across Atlantic Canada.

Dave Steeves, a spokesperson for the Natural Resources Department, emphasized the effectiveness of the helicopters used in firefighting efforts. "I've been a professional firefighter for over 20 years now, and the helicopter resources that we have are extremely effective," he stated. "We have a group of very talented pilots."

Rudderham concurred, stating, "The vast majority of our wildfires are easily contained by the machines we have. Remember, this is an extreme year where all the agencies are busy right now, but we continue to investigate and look at options to see what's best for us."

While some areas received rain from the thunderstorms, Rudderham indicated it was insufficient to mitigate the wildfire risk. "We’ll take any kind of moisture, but it’s very dry out there, and it wasn’t enough to help us," he said.

Steeves added that milder temperatures and increased humidity are aiding firefighters, but cautioned, "We’re still dealing with a relatively explosive situation."