Some firefighters from Ontario have come here to help fight wildfires. Photo from the Grande Prairie Forest Area Wildfire Information office website.

By Curtis Galbraith

Wildfires

Warkentin praising firefighters, says he will lean on the federal government for help rebuilding

May 19, 2023 | 6:00 AM

Grande Prairie Mackenzie MP Chris Warkentin says he has heard from several federal colleagues that are concerned about the wildfires in Alberta.

“Many of whom have experienced hardship or crises in the past, so they want to lend their expertise and their knowledge to us. There’s a spirit of understanding of what is going on here and there is an offer to help in any way shape or form.”

Several provinces, territories and some US states sent firefighters to Alberta.

People are already talked about rebuilding and needing help from the federal government to do that.

Warkentin says he will “lean heavily on the federal government” to help places like Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation rebuild.

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“There are things that I believe that the federal government can do in terms of preparing for Fire Smart initiatives that will reduce the chance of these types of fires developing and traveling and spreading here.”

“There have been federal initiatives in the past and I believe that the federal government could play a role again in creating those similar types of initiatives.”

Warkentin is praising everyone who stepped up to help fight the wildfires.

“Having toured now not only Sturgeon Lake but here just outside of Grande Prairie, it is remarkable the structures that have been saved. The remarkable work of fire fighting personnel as well as local citizens that stepped up and created firebreaks that reduce the possibility for the spread of the fires.”

He is also including farmers.

“Farmers are some of the heroes in this story as well. Many have used the tools of their farms to create firebreaks, but they’ve also been out there cultivating and seeding the fields to create those firebreaks that are important in this fight as well.”

Warkentin says we owe a “debt of gratitude” to the people fighting the fires.