Canadian Forces to provide more assistance for B.C. wildfires
By Castlegar Source
With weeks of British Columbia’s fire season remaining and no relief from hot, dry conditions in sight, the Province has asked the federal government for additional Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) support through September.
“Joint Task Force Pacific is always prepared to support our federal and provincial partners in keeping Canadians safe,” said Commander Joint Task Force Pacific, Rear-Admiral Art McDonald. “This new deployment of personnel in support of the British Columbia Wildfire Service is a tangible demonstration of the federal government’s dedication to preserve life and property during this state of emergency in British Columbia.”
The Canadian Forces will provide:
* Up to 300 Standard BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) Tier III firefighting-trained CAF members in self-sufficient camps who will assist with the mop-up and monitoring stages of the wildfires, including air support. The BCWS will provide the supervision, training and equipment needed to keep the personnel safe.
* Temporary lodgings for firefighters transiting to and from remote locations.
None of the Province’s requests for military support have included deployments in an armed or law-enforcement capacity, or for front-line fire suppression.
In July, the Province requested and obtained CAF aid with emergency airlifts, followed by a second request for assistance in support of the RCMP efforts in the Williams Lake area. Military personnel have been in place specifically to help with ground and air evacuations, delivering essentials like food supplies by land and air, and maintaining road checkpoints throughout the areas affected by the fires.
“British Columbia continues to deal with one of the most-devastating wildfire seasons in its history, with more than 650,000 hectares burned to date and hot, dry conditions expected to continue throughout most of the province,” said Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth. “We are incredibly grateful for the tireless efforts of all those engaged in the fight, and we recognize that more resources will be needed to sustain this important work through September, so we’re requesting those resources now.”
Quick Facts:
* With yesterday’s announcement, the CAF has deployed a total of 650 personnel to British Columbia in support of this year’s firefighting efforts.
* Currently, there are 3,900 personnel fighting the wildfires, including 1,606 contractors and 647 from out of province.
* In 2003, 920 military personnel supported British Columbia’s wildfire fighting efforts.
Keep up-to-date on the provincial wildfire situation: www.bcwildfire.ca
