Many remaining Halifax-area evacuees will likely be allowed to return home Friday

Many of the remaining evacuees from the Halifax-area wildfire will likely be notified Friday they can return to their homes, although those in the worse-hit areas should expect to wait longer before theyareallowed into their neighbourhoods.

An official with the Halifax Regional Municipality said Thursday a humanitarian group is expected to arrive Sunday to help those whose homes were destroyed or badly damaged go throughdebris to see if anything survived.

At a news conference, Mayor Mike Savage said notifications about returning home would go out via emergency alert.

"We need to be vigilant, we need to follow safety," Savage said. "Wildfires are not going away."

Erica Fleck, Halifax's director of emergency management, told reporters the municipality is focused on getting people back home when it's safe.

Flecksaid dozens of members of Team Rubicon, a veteran-led humanitarian organization headquartered in Los Angeles but with a Canadian branch, would be arriving on Sunday. Team members will have hazmat suitsand willhelp homeownerslook for possessions that may have survived the fires.

In a Facebook post, Team Rubicon Canada said it was assemblinga team that will come to Nova Scotia"with our core capabilities, including chainsaw operations, debris removal, heirloom recovery, incident management support and disaster mapping."

The municipality said in a news release that those in the significant impact zoneshould be able to return within the next 10 days.

At the peak, more than 16,000 people were forced to leave their homes due tothe wildfire that began in late May in the Upper Tantallon area. There are still 4,100 people who remain under evacuation orders. It's not clear how many of those people will be returning on Friday.

The Phase 3 area coversthousands of people in Upper Tantallon and Hammonds Plains. Fleck said people who live in the area of significant impact will need to wait a while longer before they can head home because of safety concerns.

WATCH | Woman who lost house in N.S. wildfire describes 'unimaginable' experience

Woman who lost house in N.S. wildfire describes 'unimaginable' experience

1 year ago

Duration 5:37

Kristin Shannon and her partner fled the wildfire in Hammonds Plains, N.S., at the end of May with only their dog, some clothes and their wallets and passports. She has since learned her house was destroyed.

Under the Fire Act, fencing will be set up around homes that have been destroyed or heavily damaged, Fleck said. She said the municipality will be doing that with the insurance companies.

The wildfire destroyed 151 homes.Halifax Fire Chief Ken Stuebing said it could take a long time before the fire is considered out.

For example, he said it took a year before the 2016Fort McMurray, Alta., fire was consideredout.

WATCH | Halifax officials provide update on wildfires on Thursday, June 8

Well-water testing kits are available for pickup from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Fridayat the Upper Hammonds Plains Community Centre at 711 Pockwock Rd.

The drop-off time for completed samples isbetween 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Monday, June 12, Tuesday, June 13 and Wednesday, June 14 at the Upper Hammonds Plains Community Centre.

The Black Point & Area Community Centre at 8579 St Margarets Bay Rd. isopen as a comfort centre from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. daily until further notice,with mental health resources on site.

Spoiled food drop-off bins will be availableFriday, June 9 and Saturday, June 10 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the following locations:

• Across from 229 Winslow Dr.
• 239 High Timber Dr.
• The cul-de-sack at the end of Aralia Lane.
• The cul-de-sack at the end of Westwood Boulevard.

If anyone needs to throw out a refrigerator, they're ask to do the following:

• Remove items.
• Contact 311 or fill out this online form to submit a request to remove the refrigerant gases (CFCs).
• Place it on the curbside for the next regular garbage collection day once the CFCs have been safely removed.

Regular organics and recycling collection residents re-entering the Phase 3 evacuation area will occur on Monday, June 12 and garbage limits will be relaxed on Monday, June 19.

Residents in need of a new green bin can request one by calling 311.