Key message The dataset provides fuel structure (live and dead vegetation) measurements in old-growth eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carrière) dominated stands of Nova Scotia, Canada. Potential reuses of the data include mapping Fire Behaviour Prediction System fuel types, predicting fire behaviour, projecting stand succession, and comparing fuel structure over time. Link to the data set: https://doi.org/10.23687/80383951-4b60-412c-9180-4d536b3703a8. Link to the Metadata: https://metadata-afs.nancy.inra.fr/geonetwork/srv/fre/catalog.search#/metadata/04d56c39-a3a7-4617-a09c-6950fba08259.