Federal Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair said Thursday that Canadian military personnel are deployed to help deal with an “unprecedented” wildfire season in Alberta.
Last Saturday, the province was still in a “state of emergency”. Thursday afternoon, there were 81 active forest fires, including 23 “out of control”.
Thousands of people had to leave their homes and additional fire crews from British Columbia, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and the Yukon joined the Alberta firefighters.
Minister Blair acknowledged the “unprecedented wildfire situation currently unfolding in Alberta” and said Ottawa had accepted Danielle Smith’s government’s request for assistance.
Military and other resources were already deployed in the affected areas to provide the assistance requested by the Alberta government, he said.
Members are to go to the Grande Prairie, Fox Creek and Drayton Valley areas.
The Alberta government has “also requested civil engineering expertise […] and the Canadian Armed Forces already located in Alberta have this equipment and can do this work,” said the federal minister.
Military resources are to be provided for two weeks initially — with a possible one-week extension if it is determined that the assistance is still needed.
No police duties
The Alberta government said in a statement that members of the 3e Battalion of Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry and 1er Engineer Regiment were to establish bases of operations. Army Reserve soldiers from across Alberta are also deploying to the province this week.
“The Canadian Armed Forces can provide firefighting support to help with clean-up operations and basic firefighting tasks,” the Alberta government said.
“Airlift resources for increased mobility and logistical responsibilities, such as evacuation of isolated communities, will also be provided. Technical support will be provided as needed, incorporating heavy equipment resources. »
In Ottawa, Minister Blair, however, said the army was not ready to meet one of Alberta’s demands: to provide security in the evacuated communities. “It’s a policing function,” Blair said. I told them we weren’t going […] provide the army to do that, because that’s not what they’re here for. »
The two levels of government also announced Thursday that they would each match Canadians’ donations to the Red Cross — a $1 contribution in this way will be worth $3.
Cree communities under threat
The federal government also warned Thursday that wildfires are threatening nine Aboriginal communities in Alberta, including the Little Red River Cree First Nation, where more than 100 buildings were destroyed in the community of Fox Creek.
The federal Department of Indigenous Services said it was helping the Cree First Nation in northern Alberta set up temporary housing to accommodate 500 people in the nearby community of John D’Or Prairie, as well as a service catering and other amenities.
The Cree community of Sturgeon Lake was also hard hit, with a fire destroying 45 buildings and electrical infrastructure.
The Department of Indigenous Services says 1,600 people from the community have been evacuated to Edmonton and, closer to Sturgeon Lake, to Grande Prairie and Valleyview.
Yellowhead County, west of Edmonton, said residents of the communities of Hansonville, Lobstick Resort and Wildwood were now allowed to return home.