Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement with the potential of floods for most of mainland Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island.
According to a statement from Kim Masland, Minister of Emergency Management, modelling projects anywhere from 40 to 100 mm in some locations, with a possibility of higher volumes during thundershowers.
Localized flooding and road disruptions are a possibility according to Masland’s statement, and she said that resident should avoid unnecessary travel during periods of intense rainfall.
The government of Nova Scotia recommends having an updated emergency plan, a go-bag ready for family members, an accessible fully stocked emergency kit and a pet emergency kit ready.
Environment Canada says the heaviest rain is expected on Wednesday morning and afternoon, but that another round of heavy rain is possible on Thursday morning.
Currently, rainfall warnings have been issued for southern parts of the province, but Environment Canada said they may need to expand the warnings as their confidence in the forecast increases.
This rain could bring some welcome relief to Nova Scotia’s wildfires.
In an interview with Acadia News, the Director of Fleet and Forest Protection for the Department of Natural Resources, Jim Rudderham, said significant rainfall can make a difference when fighting wildfires.
“The weather can be our friend or our enemy,” said Rudderham. “With this rain that’s forecasted it’s going to become our friend. Models are looking very good that the whole province will get at least some rain… that’s extremely good.”
Despite the optimistic forecast, Rudderham said they won’t change their plans or the intensity of their current response based on the forecast, but will reevaluate once the rain actually hits the ground.
“If we find out tomorrow we have an inch of rain down on the ground, that’ll change our alerts for the next day for sure,” said Rudderham. “That could change burn restrictions, we will not be stationing helicopters and planes on alert, that kind of thing.”
So far this year, Nova Scotia has seen more than 100 reported wildfires, more than twice as many over the same time last year according to Minister of Natural Resources Tony Rushton.
Drier conditions are helping to increase the likelihood of fires, and although upcoming rain could help, Rudderham said the situation could still change quickly.
“There was one time during the fires at Long Lake where one night we received 10mm of rain, it wasn’t a lot of rain, but it certainly helped,” said Rudderham. “But right away it started to get hot and dry again, so it was only good for a couple days. If we get a lot of rain, say 25mm… and the weather patterns the few days after are not crazy warm and hot and dry, that’ll last us a good week, week and a half, maybe even longer.”
He said he encourages people across the province to reconsider if having a fire is necessary, even when fire bans are lifted, and to always practice safe fire habits.
