Crews quickly responded to a garage fire in Oyster Pond early in the morning on January 28, 2026, which posed a significant risk of spreading to nearby structures. The Halifax firefighter union reported that the emergency call was made at 7:34 AM, prompting Station 24 in Musquodoboit Harbour to dispatch teams to the scene.

Upon arrival, firefighters discovered a detached garage engulfed in flames, with other buildings located about 50 feet away at risk of catching fire. Utilizing a strategic plan to minimize damage, the firefighters swiftly extinguished the flames, successfully preventing any additional structures from igniting.

In a post about the incident, the Halifax Professional Fire Fighters stressed the importance of being prepared for emergencies. "Calls like this are a reminder that emergencies don't wait — and why having firefighters ready to respond at a moment's notice saves property and lives," the union stated. They have also been advocating for more funding to improve response times throughout the municipality, highlighting the pressures faced by Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency (HRFE).

In 2024, HRFE only met its response target 54.5% of the time, indicating a need for additional resources. Joe Triff, vice-president of the Halifax Professional Fire Fighters, commented on the critical nature of response time targets: "Response time targets are critical to ensure we have enough resources, that’s firefighters on fire trucks, on scene quickly to perform search, rescue, and fire suppression. Every second that passes without intervention allows a fire to grow and spread, increasing the risk to the public and to the responding firefighters."

The city's fire response standard, adopted by the Halifax Regional Council in 2018, requires at least 14 firefighters to arrive within 11 minutes. This benchmark falls below the established international best practices set forth in NFPA 1710.

HRFE operates 51 stations that serve a population of 419,000 residents across an area of 5,577 square kilometers. This extensive responsibility further emphasizes the need for adequate staffing and resources to effectively manage emergency situations.

This incident serves as a critical reminder of the need for effective fire response systems and the urgent requirement for improved funding and resources to ensure the safety of both residents and firefighters in Halifax.