Latest news with #CBRM
CBC
21 hours ago
- Climate
- CBC
Cape Breton fire officials say wildfire is no longer growing
Social Sharing Fire officials in Cape Breton say a wildfire burning in the Sydney area of Kytes Hill and Grand Lake remains active but is no longer growing. Officials say the fire got to about two kilometres from some homes. The fire was held by ground crews with air support from a DNR helicopter. Christina Lamey, a spokesperson for Cape Breton Regional Municipality, said electricity in the area was turned off to more than 3,000 customers to support firefighting efforts but it has since been restored. In an update on Facebook at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, CBRM said the fire has not grown since Saturday evening. It is now 2.1 hectares in size. Three fire stations remain on the scene with the DNR and a helicopter is on standby. Rain is in the forecast for Sunday evening and is expected to continue until Monday, said the municipality.
CTV News
a day ago
- Climate
- CTV News
Wildland fire in subdivision near Sydney, N.S., under control
A wildland fire behind a subdivision near Sydney, N.S., is under control. Around 5 p.m. Saturday, Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) said crews were responding to a fire in the area of the Kytes Hill subdivision. It said the fire was near heavy transmission power lines. About 30 minutes later, CBRM said there was a 'deliberate power outage' to support the firefighting efforts on the ground and in the air. Approximately 3,000 customers were impacted. 'The location of the fire threatened key power lines and was located approximately two kilometres from homes,' said a CBRM news release. Sydney Wildland Fire A wildland fire broke out in Sydney, N.S., Saturday, July 19, 2025. (Source: Facebook/Cape Breton Regional Municipality) A Department of Natural Resources (DNR) firefighting helicopter was brought in to assist. Nova Scotia Power was also on site and restored power around 7 p.m. While crews were fighting the fire, the public was told to stay away from access roads to the area. The municipality said the fire was brought under control around 9 p.m. 'with CBRM based wildland equipment and DNR helicopter support.' Fire danger risk According to Natural Resources Canada's Fire Weather Maps, much of Cape Breton is at a high to extreme fire danger risk. The index illustrates how easy it is to ignite vegetation, how difficult a fire may be to control, and how much damage a fire may do. Sydney Wildland Fire A wildland fire broke out in Sydney, N.S., Saturday, July 19, 2025. (Source: Facebook/Cape Breton Regional Municipality) Additionally, all of Nova Scotia was under a burn ban as of Saturday. Burn restrictions are updated daily at 2 p.m. The municipality may see some temporary relief Sunday into Monday with showers in the forecast but it's expected to be warm and sunny at least until Friday. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
CBC
a day ago
- Climate
- CBC
Cape Breton fire officials say wildfire is under control
Social Sharing Fire officials in Cape Breton say a wildfire burning in the Sydney area of Kytes Hill and Grand Lake is now under control. Officials say the fire got to about 2 kilometers from some homes. The fire was brought under control with support from a DNR helicopter and CBRM-based equipment. Christina Laney, a spokesperson for Cape Breton Regional Municipality, said electricity in the area had been turned off to thousands of customers to support firefighting efforts but it has since been restored.
CBC
5 days ago
- Business
- CBC
CBRM to ask province for help with cost of cleaning up derelict properties
Cape Breton Regional Municipality plans to ask the province for help cleaning up derelict properties after fires destroyed two structures in Glace Bay last week, underscoring the danger of old, vacant buildings. Officials say the municipality simply can't afford to tackle the large number of properties in CBRM that need attention. "Unfortunately, statistically, I think we are in Nova Scotia the highest per capita with hundreds of vacant properties, dangerous and unsightly, and in the midst of trying to grow, we're trying to deal with some of the blights of the past," Mayor Cecil Clarke said. "The two recent structure fires in Glace Bay just highlighted the impact of abandoned properties and ... what it means to the bottom line." A fire on July 10 took out an empty warehouse next to an active fish plant and several hours later, a separate blaze consumed the former Morrison school, which is surrounded by homes. Clarke said the cost of demolishing the remains of the former school alone is about $300,000, and that's money CBRM likely will not be able to recover from the building owner. According to provincial property records, the building is owned by the non-profit Glace Bay & Area Y's Men & Women's Club. A CBRM spokesperson said the building was up for tax sale with $87,400 in taxes and other costs owing to the municipality. It went to tax sale three times over the last year and was not sold. It was scheduled to go up again later this month with the price reduced to $7,900, which is a year's outstanding taxes. However, whether it makes it to the next tax sale is now in doubt because of the fire. At Tuesday's council meeting, Coun. Dave MacKeigan got unanimous approval from his colleagues to have the mayor reach out to the minister of municipal affairs to seek financial help. There are roughly 400 derelict properties in CBRM. The municipality removes up to 80 a year from the list, but others get added to the list every year, as well. Most are empty homes, but about 10 per cent are large commercial buildings. Others are former school buildings that once belonged to the province — something that should be kept in mind, said Deputy Mayor Eldon MacDonald. "We do not have the financial capacity and resources to deal with them, and I think consideration should be given that it was their buildings in the past and it should remain their responsibility," MacDonald said. Clarke said he intends to ask for a meeting with the province as soon as possible. The Glace Bay Volunteer Fire Department has been preparing and practising with other departments for at least two years in case of a fire at the former Morrison school. Ten departments responded to the alarm call, providing protection for neighbouring homes. No one was hurt and no other properties were damaged in the fires, but Clarke said the next incident could end in tragedy. "All it would take is a change in wind direction and we could be talking a much larger disaster and a much more pressing discussion with the minister," he said.
CBC
6 days ago
- Politics
- CBC
Provincial policing plan raises more questions than answers for CBRM officials
The Cape Breton Regional Municipality is looking for answers after the Nova Scotia government announced last month that it plans to turn the Mounties into a provincial police force. Under a recent policing review report, the province would expand the RCMP's role, make changes to billing and funding for municipal police services, establish a single police records database and create community safety boards to improve civilian oversight. Mayor Cecil Clarke said CBRM will be allowed to continue to operate its regional police force, but it's not clear what that means. In a letter to municipalities with their own forces, Justice Minister Becky Druhan has promised a meeting later this summer. "It says no immediate decision-making, but we have to be thoughtful about now that the report is out, it has very, very specific elements to three key areas, either 100 per cent on your own or, you know, the RCMP model that's in place now, or cost-shared, and what does cost-shared mean?" Clarke said. The province introduced new policing standards last fall and Druhan has indicated that more are on the way. Clarke said Cape Breton Regional Police already meet most of the province's requirements and adding new ones will come at a cost. "It comes down to dollars at the end of the day," he said. "Of course you can establish a new standard, but you have to have the resources to support it." The review was announced about six months after the Mass Casualty Commission released its final report on the shooting rampage in central and northern Nova Scotia that left 22 people dead in April 2020. The RCMP says it's ready to take on an expanded role. Clarke said CBRM's regional police offer a full slate of services and work well with the RCMP in the county where jurisdictions overlap. RCMP also look after policing in Eskasoni First Nation, and Membertou First Nation is policed by CBRM under contract. CBRM gets provincial funding for 19 of its 200 officers. The mayor said he is not sure whether that will continue under the new provincial plan. Clarke said the system seems to be working well overall in Cape Breton and he is eager to find out how the province envisions the new plan making improvements. "We're taking our time to try and literally work our way through that, to put it in context to the Mass Casualty Commission's work and how we as a Cape Breton Regional Municipality and our police service are able to respond effectively." No appetite for return to RCMP He said there's no appetite for returning to the days before amalgamation, when the Mounties policed the entire area. "The question really would be, what does the province think of our service and if they wanted to go in a different direction, what will that mean?" Clarke said. "And if we do go in a different direction that is separate from, for instance, a Cape Breton Regional Police Service model as it is now, it's going to be even more expensive, clearly by many, many millions, than improving what we already have in place. "If there is a desire to change that model, it'll be indicated by the province to us, not by us to the province." More funding needed The province's report suggests the use of community safety officers and special constables. Clarke said CBRM already has officers in schools and bylaw enforcement officers, and any changes or additions to staffing would require more resources. "The public out on the street are asking for more policing capacity and safety and security measures in their community," he said. "We want to meet those up with a realistic model that the province can help us fund." The report also includes the creation of community safety boards, but much of that work is already being done locally, said Coun. Glenn Paruch, who chairs the CBRM's police commission. Paruch, who also sits on a provincial board reviewing police governance, said no one is sure how a community safety board would work or whether the local commission will continue to exist. "That is one question that came up quite often, because we were wondering ourselves, what is our job at the provincial board level if changes like this transpire?" he said. "So as of right now, there's more questions than answers."
