A generator hums in a grassy field at the Lake George wildfire operations base in Nova Scotia while a team member lays out numerous hoses to dry under the sun. These hoses were recently removed from homes and infrastructure, where they supplied water to hundreds of sprinklers that sprayed water to protect the properties from encroaching flames and embers.
Following the containment of the Kings County wildfire, all equipment is being packed up and stored in trailers until it is required again. This wildfire season marked the largest protective operation in the province’s history to safeguard structures. The success of these efforts has led the Department of Emergency Management to invest in additional structure protection units, which are trailers containing essential equipment like sprinklers, pumps, and hoses.
Dave Rockwood, the new fire and ground search and rescue co-ordinator with the Department of Emergency Management, mentioned that sprinklers played a crucial role in saving numerous homes and infrastructure during the Lake George and Long Lake wildfires. By wetting surfaces to prevent ignition from embers and cooling the environment to slow fire spread, the sprinklers proved to be effective.
At Lake George, approximately 600 sprinklers with different designs were utilized, taking five days to set up and requiring weeks of continuous operation. While Nova Scotia currently owns one structure protection unit, plans are in place to purchase more units at $245,000 each. The province also collaborates with local fire departments across the region that possess their own units.
During the Long Lake fire in Annapolis County, 88 homes were equipped with sprinklers, resulting in the preservation of 85 homes. Unfortunately, three homes could not be saved due to various factors such as topography, fuel types, and fire behavior. The layout of the community and construction materials also influenced the outcome when using sprinklers.
Jason Burton, whose home was saved during the wildfires, expressed gratitude for the protection provided by the sprinklers. In addition to homes, sprinklers were strategically placed on infrastructure like bridges to create a barrier of water during the Lake George wildfire.
To keep the sprinklers operational, crews must constantly transport water to the tanks that feed the hoses. During the Long Lake fire, millions of gallons of water were moved, necessitating the use of portable tanks and tanker trucks to ensure a reliable water supply on site.
Despite the success of sprinklers in the Lake George and Long Lake incidents, they were not used during the Halifax-area and Shelburne County wildfires due to the rapid spread of those fires. The province plans to acquire new structure protection units through its standard procurement process to enhance its firefighting capabilities.