Category: Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia Firefighters Using Helicopters to Locate Shelburne Wildfire Hot Spots

Nova Scotia firefighters are using helicopters to scan the Shelburne County wildfire and locate hot spots. Officials with the province’s Department of Natural Resources will be flying over the fire this week in southwest Nova Scotia and using infrared scanners to detect areas where firefighters should be dispatched. The 235-square-kilometre Barrington Lake wildfire in Shelburne…


139 Firefighters From Canada, US Battling Nova Scotia’s Barrington Lake Blaze

Firefighters from three provinces, the United States and Canada’s Department of National Defence are in southwestern Nova Scotia today to battle the largest wildfire in the province’s history. The province says there are 139 firefighters tackling the massive blaze near Barrington Lake, including five from P.E.I. and 14 from Newfoundland and Labrador. Seventeen firefighters are…


Nova Scotia Identifies Thousands of Stolen Records in Global Security Breach

Officials in Nova Scotia have identified thousands of files stolen in a global data breach affecting the personal information of at least 100,000 people in the province. Cybersecurity and Digital Solutions Minister Colton LeBlanc said Friday that a number of current and former teachers were victims of the hack, as were students, inmates and even…


Most Evacuation Orders Lifted in Nova Scotia Almost Two Weeks After Wildfires Started

Most evacuation orders were lifted Friday across Nova Scotia, almost two weeks after a series of unprecedented wildfires broke out in the southwestern corner of the province and in suburban Halifax. Officials in Shelburne County, where the largest wildfire in the province’s history continued to burn out of control, lifted all evacuation orders at noon….


Cyber Gang Behind NS Breach Says It Erased Stolen Data, but Experts Urge Caution

The ransomware group behind an attack on a file-sharing service that resulted in the theft of personal data from as many as 100,000 Nova Scotians claims it has deleted the stolen information. A note on the Clop ransomware gang’s dark website says it “erased” all the data it stole from governments, cities and police services…


Huge Wildfire in Southwestern Nova Scotia ‘Being Held’ After Burning for 11 Days

The record-breaking wildfire in southwestern Nova Scotia that started 11 days ago near Barrington Lake is no longer moving, emergency officials said Wednesday. The province’s Natural Resources Department issued a statement saying the fire, which grew to be the province’s largest on record, was “being held” and was not expected to move if cool and…


Nova Scotia Estimates up to 100,000 People Affected by Online Security Breach

Nova Scotia’s minister of cybersecurity estimates that 100,000 people have had personal information stolen as a result of a privacy breach to a third-party file transfer system used by the province. Colton LeBlanc says a government investigation indicates social insurance numbers, addresses and banking information of current employees of the public service, including Nova Scotia…


Extent of NS software breach still unknown, Microsoft blames ransomware gang

Microsoft security experts say hackers affiliated with the notorious Clop ransomware group are behind an attack on a third-party file sharing system that resulted in the theft of personal data belonging to Nova Scotians. The Nova Scotia government said it is still trying to determine how many people had their data stolen in the attack…


Federal Officials Warn of ‘Especially Severe’ Wildfire Season in Canada

As several provinces struggle to contain out-of-control wildfires, federal officials warned on June 5 that Canada will likely see an “especially severe” wildfire season. “Our modelling shows that this may be an especially severe wildfire season throughout the summer,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at a press conference in Ottawa. Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair told…


Fire Burned Through Memories, Pieces of History, Says Owner of Nova Scotia Daycare

The owner of a Nova Scotia daycare destroyed as recent wildfires ripped through the province says the flames consumed both her livelihood and a physical piece of twentieth-century history. Among the many memories and treasured family heirlooms lost in the fire that raced through suburban Halifax was a piece of the Berlin Wall belonging to…