(RDNewsNow)

By Adrian St.Onge, Eli J. Ridder

NEW

Alberta declares early start to 2024 wildfire season, invests in 100 new firefighters for quick response

Feb 20, 2024 | 2:39 PM

Alberta revealed plans to aggressively grow its firefighter ranks as it declared an early launch to the 2024 wildfire season Tuesday due to warmer than normal temperatures and below average precipitation.

The ruling United Conservatives requested budget allocation for 100 wildland firefighters to be trained and added to the fire team before April 15, according to officials at a news conference.

The firefighters would be separated into five 20-person quick react teams that would be deployed to areas with the most need.

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Declaring the start of the 2024 wildfire season provides additional measures to Alberta Wildfire, including the use of the fire ban and restriction system to help reduce human-caused wildfires in response to hazardous conditions.

Also, any Albertan who has burning planned in the Forest Protection Area will require a permit.

Other fire mitigation projects including thermal imaging drones and night vision helicopters that were used last season will be on the battlefield against wildfires this year, said Todd Loewen, minister of forestry and parks.

“Alberta’s government will face the coming wildfire season head on, and we will do whatever is necessary to help Albertans and their communities stay safe from the impacts of wildfire,” Loewen said.

“I want to encourage Albertans to remain vigilant and recreate responsibly.”

‘UCP are already behind’

The Opposition New Democrats said the plan does not go far enough.

“The UCP isn’t doing enough for Albertans, their communities and wildland firefighters,” said Heather Sweet, NDP critic for agriculture, forestry and rural economic development.

“Wildfire season officially begins next Friday and the UCP are already behind with today’s announcement,” she added.

“Even though the government knew there were active wildfires burning underground over the winter, the UCP laid off wildland firefighters for the season and waited until the beginning of the 2024 wildfire season to start hiring with no training time.”

Sweet said preparations for what could be a record-setting drought year should have started already and proposed partnerships with other levels of government.

“UCP needs to collaborate with the federal emergency management committee to create a federal fire fighting task force, and work with all orders of governments, civil society and Indigenous communities to prevent needless loss,” she said.

“We need a government who prepares for these disasters and addresses climate change seriously.”