Prayers continue as Nova Scotia fires contained

As Nova Scotians received a welcome dose of good news on June 5 that the overall wildfire situation across the province has been contained and many of the evacuees were authorized to return to their homes, the Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth continued to call for prayer for those affected.

Since the fires began late last month, the Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth has expressed steadfast spiritual support for everyone in the province, particularly the more than 18,000 estimated evacuees.

“We are devastated for the people who have lost their homes and will continue to provide support to the impacted communities as we are able,” said Archbishop Brian Dunn in a statement provided to The Catholic Register.

“We continue to pray for the well-being of all who have suffered losses in this tragedy.  We also pray in thanksgiving for all the firefighters and first responders as they worked tirelessly to contain the fires and help those in need.”

According to the provincial wildfire management dashboard, over 210 fires have burned 26,680 hectares — and counting — from fires in the Atlantic province in 2023. The situation began on May 27 with a major blaze near Barrington Lake in Shelburne County. One day later, a second major fire ignited in Tantallon, located within the Halifax Regional Municipality.

Dunn called upon all the faithful to join him in prayer at the beginning of the crisis. A special litany prayer was composed for those affected by the wildfires.