Nova Scotia sends 20 firefighters to Saskatchewan to aid wildfire battle
While Saskatchewan continues to battle wildfires, Nova Scotia sent a team of 20 firefighters to the province after a request was put in for support.
With wildfires burning in Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia sent a 20-person fire crew after the province put a request in for additional support.
Nova Scotia is a member of the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC), which ensures all provinces and territories receive help if wildfires become too large to handle.
DON'T MISS: The Weather Network's wildfire hub
They flew in to Saskatoon, Sask., on May 29 and were assigned to the wildfire near Moose Horn Lodge. Scott Tingley, Nova Scotia forest protection manager, says they’ve been tasked with indirect tactics.
“The fire has been so hot and the fire behaviour has been so extreme that they don’t put firefighters directly on the fire line, so they’re doing things like reinforcing control lines, either with controlled burnt to expand the width of control lines between the fire perimeter and communities," said Tingley.
“Compared to years like 2023, when we saw the massive fire break out here in Hammonds Plains, this year has been relatively quiet.”
Nova Scotia firefighters. (Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources)
Crew members could return to Nova Scotia early if they are needed at home.
“We’ve almost had rain every weekend in April and May, so that’s really kept the fire hazard at Bay. We’ve had a couple of windier, hotter days where the risk has increased, but for the most part, it’s been a relatively quiet season," said Tingley. "That’s reflected in the number of fires that we’ve had and the number of hectares that have burned. So, it’s been a very quiet year so far in Nova Scotia.”
Last year, the department deployed resources or fire crews six times to help with wildfires across Canada.
Thumbnail courtesy of Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources.