GNWT acknowledges the work of wildland fire personnel during 2018 fire season
YELLOWKNIFE (September 5, 2018) – Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Robert C. McLeod would like to thank NWT wildland fire crews and other employees of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) for their efforts during this fire season.
As partners in the Canadian Inter-agency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC), ENR personnel and resources were exported to support wildland fire responses with British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Parks Canada, Yukon Territory and Ontario. It is regular practice for the GNWT to lend resources to more active jurisdictions when the territory experiences a downturn in fire danger.
Crews that remained in the NWT this season assisted with wildland fire management by performing FireSmart actions and maintenance, such as clearing fire breaks and managing overgrown vegetation, to ensure future protection of communities and other values at risk.
Quote:
“I am proud of the integrity and hard work shown by our wildland fire personnel this fire season, both at home and while assisting other jurisdictions. Exporting crews not only provides support to our partners in dealing with heavy fire loads, but it also provides valuable experience to northerners who get a chance to work in new environments with crews from across Canada and North America.”
– Robert C. McLeod, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources
Quick Facts:
- The NWT experienced a lower than average fire season in 2018. As of August 22, there were 54 fires with a total of 11,271 Ha burnt. The 25 year average is 172 fires and 402,976 Ha burnt.
- The GNWT exported a total of 76 Type-1 firefighters, 19 overhead staff and 3 air tanker groups to British Columbia and Ontario during the 2018 fire season.
- Crews and other personnel from all five NWT regions carried out FireSmart project work, including community events, brush clearing, maintenance on fire breaks and creating temporary helipads.
Media Contact:
Public Affairs and Communications
Environment and Natural Resources
enr_communications@gov.nt.ca
NT5
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