CFB Edmonton troops to help fight B.C. wildfires
Base will be providing two companies of 90 to 130 personnel, service support
Dozens of Edmonton-based soldiers are deploying to B.C. to help support wildfire-fighting efforts.
The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is deploying land forces to support local and provincial authorities in response to the emergency wildfire situation after a B.C. request for federal assistance was approved last Tuesday by Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Bill Blair and Minister of National Defence Harjit Sajjan.
Out of CFB Edmonton, the land task force will consist of headquarters staff, two companies of between 90 to 130 personnel, and service support from the Canadian Army, according to public affairs officer Lt. (N) Kevin Moffat of 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group. Soldiers from 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry left CFB Edmonton for Vernon, B.C., on Friday. The troops are expected to remain in B.C. until at least Aug. 30, when the situation will be reassessed.
Moffat said the soldiers will provide support to the B.C. Wildfire Service by helping to suppress hot spots on existing lines to ensure fires are fully extinguished, and monitoring fire lines for holdover fire, suppressing it as required.
Troops will also work alongside and under the supervision of the B.C. Wildfire Service in a support capacity to build new fire lines on priority fires, and provide transport assistance where required to non-forces personnel who are also deployed in support of the firefighting effort.
In response to the request for assistance, the CAF will be sending up to 350 personnel to help extinguish and monitor hot spots on contained fires.
According to the federal government, since early July the army has been providing airlift support to “transport personnel, supplies, and equipment into and out of areas affected by wildfires throughout the province, and to support evacuations in emergencies when required.”
British Columbia declared a state of emergency due to the wildfires on July 20.
The province is currently experiencing a wildfire season “well above” the seasonal average.
As of Sunday, 257 wildfires were burning across the province, prompting a number of evacuations and alerts.
Scientists have said climate change has become a major factor in Canadian fire seasons.
The wildfire season began when a fire was reported about seven kilometres south of the village of Lytton, B.C., on June 17.
About three weeks later, the village was destroyed by a separate fire.
According to the B.C. Wildfire Service, more than 389,000 hectares have been burned so far this year.