Volunteers show up to support Evacués in the natural fire

Volunteers come together in Bridgetown, NS, to support people who have left their houses while the Wildfire of Annapolis County will get out of hand.

On Monday afternoon, civil servants said that the natural fire – who started on August 13 – is estimated at 3,210 hectares, or about 32 square kilometers.

Major Leslie Wiseman of the Salvation Army told CBC News on Monday that the organization manages donations.

“There is a community that wants to help and they need some direction about how to help,” Wiseman said. “And so that’s what we offer here.”

The Salvation Army opened his church in the community on Sunday evening. Wiseman said that the organization is looking for donations such as cash and gift vouchers, so that residents can buy things most useful for them.

But Wiseman said they also accept hygienic items, pet food and clothing. Donations are accepted in the church on Tuesday between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Cash, gift vouchers, hygienic articles

“Based on last week and on the voluntary fire brigade of Bridgetown, many donations came in such as material donations, water and snacks and things like that. And so we really hope based on that answer, we really hope that people will come together and some donations will drop off so that we can help our neighbors,” she said.

Wiseman lives in an area not far from where the fire is burning. She said there is a “general feeling of restless”.

“It is almost as if you are taking your breath or that you cannot fully relax or you can concentrate on what you do, because you only look at news updates. You think of the first responds and the firefighters on the ground and only this gravity of concern.

“But also in the midst of worries and concern, there is also these beautiful coming together as a community.”

Neal Alderson, the director of the Nova Scotia Guard – an organization that was founded by the provincial government last year to help during disasters – said that eight volunteers helped in the Community Hall and the Command Post.

‘Our volunteers are great’

“Our volunteers are great. They have been here since Sunday morning. I had the chance to work and meet some of them and they just really want to help and give the community back,” said Alderson.

Alderson said that most volunteers who help with the Long Lake Fire come from the Annapolis County, but a few come from the surrounding provinces.

He said that Nova Scotians would like to give something back through volunteering, which he recognized, can be a challenge to do in emergency situations.

“The entire creation of the guard was to create that opportunity for Nova Scotians who want to help their communities and give back in times of need,” he said.

Donations are accepted in the church on Tuesday between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.