LONG LAKE WILDFIRES COMPLEX, ANNAPOLIS COUNTY, AUGUST 31

**** NS Gov Release LONG LAKE WILDFIRES COMPLEX, ANNAPOLIS COUNTY, AUGUST 31 The Long Lake wildfires complex is still out of control. The new estimated size is 8,465 hectares, based on more precise measurement. There are no new reports of damage. Favourable weather is helping crews make good progress, but they have not yet completed a line around the entire fire zone. Fire breaks along some sections of the perimeter are nearing completion. Work is focused on the northern end of the fire to prevent spread toward communities and allow firefighters to advance from the outside in to fight the fire. The aim is to get evacuees home as soon as possible. The outline of the Long Lake wildfires complex is still roughly the same as our last map https://novascotia.ca/alerts/docs/Long-Lake.pdf . We cannot show hot spots within it, they appear and are knocked down by aircraft/crews too frequently. Resources dedicated to the effort include 10 helicopters, 6 planes with bird dogs, 16 Department of Natural Resources, 48 Ontario, 40 Quebec and 59 local firefighters. About 50 pieces of heavy machinery working, others released as stretches of dozer line are completed. - Do not operate drones in a wildfire area. It is illegal. It can interfere with our firefighting efforts. Aircraft are using a very large airspace around the Long Lake wildfires complex. It is not safe to use a drone anywhere in the broader area. The fine is $25,000 under the Forests Act, there could be fines under federal legislation as well.