Evacuation order for Upper Hammonds Plains partially rescinded following concerns about a lack of clarity

President of the Upper Hammonds Plains Community Development Association shared and open letter to the province less than an hour prior to the partial rescind

The president of the Upper Hammonds Plains Community Development Association shared an open letter on social media Monday night about a lack of clarity as to when residents of Upper Hammonds Plains would be able to return to their community following the wildfires in Tantallon and Hammonds Plains.

The letter was issued to Tory Rushton, the province’s minister of Natural Resources and Renewables by Gina Jones-Wilson who is the president of the Upper Hammonds Plains Community Development Association, and the province’s first female firefighter to receive level-one firefighting credentials.

Thirty-seven minutes later, at 7:30pm, a province-wide emergency alert was issued stating that the evacuation order for residents of Upper Hammonds Plains will be partially rescinded the next morning at 7am.

Two hours earlier, at 5:03pm, Jones-Wilson made a post urging residents “to Demand some Answers from the Department of Natural Resources who is currently responsible for the Evacuation Plans and the Phase Plan to return residents home.”

“We community members of Upper Hammonds Plains have No Idea when we can return home and that is unacceptable,” she wrote before listing Rushton’s contact information.

Her open letter to Rushton which then was posted at 6:53pm read:

“Good Morning Mr. Rushton

I am emailing you on behalf of the residents of Upper Hammonds Plains who were evacuated from their homes on Sunday May 28, 2023. As re-entry plans are underway, our community has had no form of communication with your department on when we will be allowed back into our homes.”

“Other surrounding areas are back home, some as close as two minutes from UHP [Upper Hammonds Plains]. Schools in the community will be opening tomorrow and residents were told to take them to the nearest bus stop that is open. Many of our children are with their families still displaced, many not having access to clothing for school or supplies for lunch.”

“We want to know the proposed date of return for the community of UHP so we can plan accordingly. This no-communication is not sitting well with the residents and making us feel like we are second class citizens.”

“Looking forward to your quick response.
Sincerely,
Gina Jones-Wilson, President of the Upper Hammonds Plains Community Development Association”

Thirty-seven minutes later, at 7:30pm, a province-wide emergency alert was issued that read:

“Partial Evacuation Rescind. Upper Hammonds Plains. Phase 2 residents can return home now in Upper Hammonds Plains, except for Bonsai Dr, Cyprus Ct, Yew St. Hammonds Plains Rd will be open to thru traffic starting at 7:00 am Tuesday 6 June. Visit Halifax.ca/fire for updated instructions.”

Last Tuesday, Lennett Anderson, the senior pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Upper Hammonds Plains, told Black Nova Scotia News that of the roughly 200 buildings and homes believed to have been destroyed in the wildfire, none were believed to be in the community of Upper Hammonds Plains.