An independent review of the fires that destroyed more than 200 homes and burned 25,000 hectares of Nova Scotia forest last year is generally positive about how the province deployed resources, but noted many areas for improvement. The Nova Scotia government paid Calian, a consulting and research firm, $45,500 to do an “after-action report” on the wildfires that started on the South Shore at Barrington Lake, and in the Halifax-area community of Tantallon. The more than 200 email responses to their survey included agencies, first responders, municipal and provincial governments, including Department of Natural Resources (DNR) staff. The review highlighted a number of strengths in the province’s response to the wildfires… [and] it found gaps in a number of areas, including training and department response plans. …The review also found staffing levels were inadequate, and some of those involved in responding to the fires lacked training for the jobs they were called on to do.