Wildfire in Yarmouth County brought under control

A wildfire in the Argyle area of Yarmouth County is contained after growing to 18 hectares when winds picked up and shifted late Saturday afternoon.

Earlier Saturday, the fire was reported to be 15 hectares and was 50 per cent contained. 

The fire had also forced the closure of Highway 103 between exits 31 and 32 near Pubnico Saturday afternoon, but the area has since reopened.

Brian Taylor, a Nova Scotia Department of Lands and Forestry spokesperson, said 22 Lands and Forestry firefighters and a volunteer fire department were on the scene Sunday.

Environment Canada has lifted its air-quality advisory issued for western Nova Scotia on Saturday after overnight rain dampened several wildfires in the area.

Taylor said there are nine known fires in the province as of Sunday morning. Two were considered out of control, including the Argyle fire, five are considered under control and two are considered extinguished.

"The fires received significant rain overnight and crews are on scene today monitoring and taking advantage of the conditions," Taylor said in an emailed statement Sunday. "No major challenges [are] anticipated today. There will be work required for several days on fires that still have hotspots." 

He also said there are no structures at risk in any of the fires.

The fire near Saturday Lake in Lunenburg County covers 4.2 hectares but is fully contained.

The fire near River Hebert in Cumberland County, which has been burning since early Saturday morning, is under control as of Sunday afternoon. 

Scott Tingley, manager of forest protection with Nova Scotia's Department of Lands and Forestry, said crews have responded to at least 16 fires since Wednesday, some of which have been caused by lightning and some by humans.

Burn restrictions across the province were loosened on Sunday. Burning is now permitted between 2 p.m. and 8 a.m. in the eastern half of the province and between 7 p.m. and 8 a.m. in the western half of the province.