The province is investing $64 million to boost wildfire fighting efforts.
The funding, announced Oct. 16, will be used to hire and train key personnel and buy equipment and technology, including fuel systems, tankers, trucks, and software. It’s expected to create more than 100 permanent positions. Some $5 million will also be used to help attract and retain wildland firefighting staff.
Ontario will also contract four additional medium helicopters for fire suppression, bringing its total of contracted helicopters to 13, officials stated. The province will also contract an additional plane to be used for community evacuations, if needed.
450 wildfires to date
The announcement comes near the Oct. 31 end of the annual wildfire season. Some 450 wildfires have burned 89,395 hectares of forests, officials stated. In 2023, more than 700 fires burned 441,000 hectares — nearly thrice the 10-year average.
“Our government is making critical investments in our wildland fire program – on the ground and in the air – to keep Ontario at the leading edge of wildland firefighting,” Minister of Natural Resources Graydon Smith stated. “As an internationally recognized leader in wildland fire safety, we are preparing for more frequent and complex fire seasons to protect our communities now and in the future.”
Leave A Comment