PORTERS LAKE, N.S. — About 400 homes were evacuated tonight near the rural Nova Scotia community of Porters Lake as firefighters battled a large forest fire.

Power was shut off to 8,100 homes after fire damaged a transmission line and Nova Scotia Power turned off electricity to other areas as crews battled the flames.

Deputy chief Roy Hollett of the Halifax Regional Fire Department says thick smoke fanned by heavy winds made it impossible to assess possible damage to the many homes and cottages in the scenic coastal area.

He says some crews and engines would remain in the area overnight at properties under threat from flames.

Powerful gusts that peaked at 90 kilometres per hour earlier in the day kept the fire on the move.

The blaze produced a huge plume of grey and blue smoke that could be seen about 30 kilometres away in Halifax.

RCMP Corporal Joe Taplin says that by early evening, the fire had consumed an area almost two kilometres wide and about seven kilometres long.

Another four brush fires were burning at different locations around the province.