A new report from Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency sheds light on what firefighters faced over the nearly three-week operation to put out the fire that broke out on May 28, 2023, in Upper Tantallon, 30 kilometres from downtown Halifax (and burned more than 900 hectares, forcing more than 16,000 people to evacuate and destroying 151 homes), and points out how the urban, structural firefighters didn’t have the training, experience or equipment to deal with a wildfire. Structural firefighters are trained to combat fires in enclosed spaces, like homes, commercial buildings, industrial facilities and public infrastructure, versus their wildland counterparts, who work in forests and grasslands. Experts say that wildfires will encroach on urban areas more often, with climate change and urban sprawl, and municipal firefighters across the country may not be prepared. …Last year was the worst for wildfires on record, and those who study climate change and fires don’t expect much relief going forward.