A forest fire started late this afternoon near Halifax, Nova Scotia.

The fire is raging in the Williams Lake area of Halifax – between Purcells Cove and Herring Cove roads in a wooded area known as the barrens.

Several square kilometres have already burned, leading to the evacuation of all the houses along a section of Purcells Cove Road.

Several roads have been blocked off.

Two helicopters from the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources are now attacking the fire.

This is the same area where a brush fire destroyed several homes in 2009.

Read more:
Firefighters battle forest fire near Spryfield (Chronicle Herald)
Brush fire in Halifax forces evacuation (CBC)