Nova Scotia is taking an extraordinary step to guard against what officials warn could be a catastrophic wildfire season: closing off its forests to the public and attaching a steep price tag to violations.
Premier Tim Houston announced the sweeping ban Tuesday, describing it as a necessary — if inconvenient — measure to keep people, property, and resources safe. Hiking, camping, fishing, and even operating vehicles in wooded areas are off-limits.
Trail systems that wind through forested regions are closed. Camping is permitted only at official campgrounds.
Nova Scotia has BANNED walking in the woods, potentially for the rest of the summer.
Violators face a $25,000 penalty. pic.twitter.com/FbZkcVY0bM
— The Maine Wire (@TheMaineWire) August 7, 2025
The penalty for ignoring the order is serious: up to 25,000 Canadian dollars — about $18,160 USD. Houston emphasized that the rules apply to everyone, with no exceptions for recreation or curiosity. He also singled out smokers, warning them to “be mindful of where you’re butting your butt out,” adding that anyone whose negligence sparked a blaze would be held accountable.
Natural Resources Minister Tony Rushton laid out the reasons for the clampdown. This season, Nova Scotia has already faced 100 wildfires — small so far, but occurring in parched conditions where flames can burn deep into the root system and smolder underground for days.
Those kinds of fires drain manpower and equipment, and without substantial rainfall, the risk only grows. Across Canada, more than 700 fires are burning, a statistic Houston cited as evidence that the province can’t afford to be complacent.
The ban isn’t without precedent. In 2023, amid a similarly dry stretch, Nova Scotia imposed a woods-access ban following a season that produced about 220 fires — including two major blazes that destroyed hundreds of homes. That year’s restrictions were meant to last four weeks but were lifted after one when conditions improved.
This time, Houston says the province is choosing prevention over reaction. Already, roughly ten tickets — each over $25,000 — have been issued this year for illegal burning. With about three-quarters of Nova Scotia’s land covered in forest, the order is as sweeping geographically as it is financially punitive.
