Displaced Shelburne residents learn whether their homes are destroyed

Residents of Nova Scotia's Shelburne County displaced by a large wildfire were being updated Thursday by municipal officials on whether their homes have been damaged or destroyed.

The Barrington Lake wildfire covers 235 square kilometres and is not moving, but is still not under control, according to a media release from the Department of Natural Resources.

Lee Keating and Sue Johnson were among the residents who met Thursday with officials at the courthouse in the town of Shelburne. The Clyde River couple already knew their home was intact, but they were given safety equipment, material for testing their well water and advice on clearing contamination.

They have been out of their home for 11 days.

Johnson said the experience has affected everyone badly but people who were displaced by the fires have been "well-supported by the community."

Keating, who is 90 years old and said he has lived in the community his whole life, said many people still did not know the status of their homes.

"We know a couple very well who lost everything," Keating said.

"The house was destroyed and they were left with nothing but the clothes they were wearing, so we are certainly happy. It looks as though we can get back to our house and things will be relatively normal."

Warren MacLeod, the chief administrative officer for the municipality of Shelburne, said it was "all hands on deck" to notify people in person on the status of their homes.

MacLeod said the municipality and the Department of Natural Resources worked with assessors over three days to do a structural analysis of homes in evacuated areas and build a database

The database shows homes that are intact, damaged or totally destroyed, he said.  The municipal team was working with an experienced team from Calgary, MacLeod said.

He said they have put together a package for people who will be re-entering homes that are still intact to help them with safety issues such as water supply and disposing of waste, once the evacuation order is lifted.

MacLeod said people were being shown photographs of their property and mental health support was on hand to help them deal with the shock.

An emotional MacLeod said he had already told 10 residents that morning that their homes were gone, and he wants other community members to recognize how tough it is for those residents.

"Be really cognizant of the fact that some people have just received really difficult information and when you interact with those people, keep that in mind," MacLeod said.

"Some people want to be alone. Some people want to have support, and for those who are looking for support, do your best to give that support to them because they really need it right now."

MacLeod said when the mandatory evacuation order is lifted, there will be access restrictions and people who have lost their homes will be allowed in first to view their properties.

After that, he said, access will be restricted to people who have identification showing they are local residents. MacLeod said he wants people from outside the area to respect the privacy of residents and not enter the area.

A news release from the provincial Department of Public Works on Thursday said Highway 103 between exits 27 and 30 in Shelburne County would be reopening to traffic starting at 8 p.m.

The release said no stopping will be allowed and there will be no access to local roads and properties on that section of the highway until firefighters can confirm they are safe.

Pam Townsend provided before and after photos of her home on Upper Clyde Road.

Townsend declined to be interviewed but said in a text message that things of sentimental value like her grandmother's charm bracelet, her mother's handwritten recipes and her son's childhood tops, were the biggest loss.

"We are forever thankful to all the volunteers and firefighters who have fought this beast," Townsend said in the message.

Charity Rennenhan of Gunning Cove said her family was allowed to return home on Tuesday after nine days. She was at the courthouse to pick up a well-water testing kit.

Rennehan said when they got the evacuation order they let their cat named Kitty free, so the first thing they did on returning home was to look for it. She said the cat returned on Wednesday.

Lucinda Montizambert said she was "happy and relieved" after being shown photographs of her undamaged home by officials.

The Round Bay resident said she was evacuated twice, once from her own home, and again from the home of a family member where she was staying on Lake Road.

Montizambert, originally from Quebec, said officials couldn't tell her when she would be able to return to her home, but they were hoping it would be within the next two days.

"It's just hard to celebrate in a sense because we're really feeling for our neighbours whose homes didn't make it," she said.

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