Firefighters with the British Columbia Wildfire Service Titan unit crew work to control the southeastern flank of the Bush Creek wildfire in Turtle Valley in the North Shuswap region of British Columbia on Aug. 23, 2023.JESSE WINTER/Reuters
Ottawa is boosting funding to train urban firefighters, accustomed to tackling burning buildings and rescuing people from houses and car wrecks, so they can also tackle wildfires raging nearby.
The extra $800,000 in funding was announced after Ottawa warned that Canada could face another year of catastrophic wildfires.
Last year, 6,623 fires burned, thick smoke drifted into cities and across the United States border, and towns, including Yellowknife, were evacuated.
Early forecasts suggest more fires than usual this spring particularly in Eastern Canada, Eastern Ontario and Southern Quebec, because of the warm winter and drier than usual conditions, as well as drought. Seventy fires are still smouldering and risk flaring up as temperatures increase, government officials said last week.
The federal cash to help prepare town firefighters to tackle wildfires, was announced on Monday as Edward Kelly, general president of the International Association of Firefighters, stressed the need for more recruitment to the fire service.
In some municipalities, including Edmonton and Calgary, teenagers who learn firefighting skills with local fire departments qualify for high-school credits.
Mr. Kelly said giving high school credits for cadets is “a great initiative” which educates children about the value of service to others.
“We have recruiting challenges now that we’ve never had across the entire industry,” he added.
Michael Carter, a district vice-president of the union, who also trains firefighters, said the program – which helps boosts recruitment – deserved to be expanded throughout Canada.
In Edmonton, fire cadets learn firefighting and life-saving skills, such as how to extinguish different types of fires, how to use equipment including hoses and breathing apparatuses, and how to rescue people, including from confined spaces. Some fire cadets become firefighters after they leave school.
“Educating our kids through high school, showing what they can do to help serve their communities and what it looks like to become a fighter is a great opportunity for people,” Mr. Carter said.
Mr. Kelly and Mr. Carter also welcomed the extra $800,000 in funding for the IAFF’s program to fight fires in “interface areas,” where urban or developed land borders the countryside.
The specialist training adds to last year’s $400,000 federal investment.
Among the specialist skills firefighters use to stop the spread of wildfires and keep them away from houses are controlled burns, including of fallen tree branches, dry grass, dead trees and undergrowth to starve a fire and stop it spreading out of control.
The extra funding, announced by Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, will build on training that happened last year in Western Canada, including in Kamloops and Grande Prairie.
Speaking at the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Canadian Legislative Conference, Mr. Wilkinson said “the spread of thick smoke and evacuations can cause immense stress and disruption for communities.”
“Addressing wildfires in interface areas is critical due to the high concentration living in these regions,” he said. “With approximately 10 per cent of the Canadian population residing in interface areas spanning 32 million hectares, the interface presents a significant challenge in wildfire management, one that this program is working to resolve.”