Wildfire response training should be available to more civilians, experts say
As wildfire season begins in Ontario, some experts say more civilians in northern and remote regions should be given training and opportunities to become wildfires response volunteers, despite liability concerns.
The province saw over 475 fires last year that scorched 90,000 hectares, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources.
Compared to the 10-year average, it was lower by about 219 blazes. But with the threat of rising temperatures from climate change, there are concerns wildfires will grow in frequency and intensity.
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Fighting wildfires is usually done by firefighters hired or contracted by Ontario or other provincial governments — and in worse cases the Canadian Armed Forces help out.
But giving residents the capacity to respond as well is something that could reduce the impact of wildfires, says Jason Thistlethwaite, an associate professor at the University of Waterloo's school of environment.
Mobilizing more people would benefit communities, he says, because despite the province's firefighting capabilities and Canada's strong interprovincial coordination efforts, it can be difficult to deploy all the necessary personnel and equipment quickly when there are multiple large-scale emergencies.
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"Canada is a big country. You're not going to have people everywhere you need it," Thistlethwaite said
For example, teaching volunteers how to create a fire break — a space between a nearby fire and a property by removing vegetation — and how to use equipment available locally can help mitigate destruction, Thistlethwaite says.
The problem is that responders and municipalities have issued advice against it because of the liability concerns, he said.
Youth workshops available
In some First Nation communities, some youth are already joining workshops that teach fire management, climate change adaptation, and community safety.
It's an initiative that has ramped up through recent federal investments. One program aimed at educating youth by the Keewaytinook Okimakanak (KO) tribal council will educate 15 to 19 year olds from six First Nations.
The workshop aims to understand the "what, how, and why" of fire management, focusing on community desires to re-engage in wildfire management, says Michael Morrison, a wildfire and climate change youth engagement specialist and interim emergency management coordinator with the KO Tribal Council.
"It's fair to say that in the next 10, 20, 30 years, the wildfire environment in Ontario is going to be far different than what we've seen in the previous 30 years, so these youth and people like them are going to be faced with addressing some of this," Morrison said.
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"It's really now or never."
The workshop could be an "excellent" model for future programs, says David Pearson, professor emeritus of natural sciences at Laurentian University.
Crews fight a fire known as Kenora 14 on May 9, 2025. The blaze was discovered on Thursday near Wabaseemoong, about 95 kilometres north of Kenora, Ont. (Ministry of Natural Resources)
"It's building the capacity to prepare for and to be ready for wildfires that catch you by surprise," he said.
A spokesperson from Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources, said that the government works closely with First Nations Communities, municipalities, and other communities to co-ordinate fire response, promote safety, awareness, prevention, and education in their respective communities across Ontario.
"We are also working with existing Tribal Councils to train local fire crews and look for more opportunities to help train and set up fire teams in more communities," the spokesperson said.
It also noted that this year, the province expects to have about 650 FireRangers working across 140 crews, plus up to 320 additional firefighting personnel from private contractors.
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A Natural Resources Canada spokesperson said in an email on Friday that it delivers a number of programs aimed at supporting efforts to reduce wildfire risks and to enhance preparedness.
These programs include the Fighting and Managing Wildfires in a Changing Climate equipment and training funds.
The first provides $256 million to assist provinces and territories in procuring firefighting equipment, while the second provides $28 million to train additional firefighters and enhance community capacity for responding to and managing wildfires.
Experts stress need for prevention, fireproofing
While many wildfires are the result of severe weather mixed with dry vegetation, something that's been exacerbated by climate change, up to 80 per cent of spring blazes are caused by people, Pearson said, and precautionary measures go beyond just putting out a campfire properly.
"If you drive an ATV through tall dry grass, the grass will smoulder after simply being heated by the passing of the motor. That's how careful we have to be," he said.
There's also a need for people to fireproof their properties as best they can following Ontario's FireSmart program, says Isabelle Chenard, a fire information officer for the northeast.
"Forest fire embers can travel up to two kilometres ahead of a fire under certain conditions, so it's really important to limit the amount of combustible material in and around your home," she said.
Parks Canada crews working on wildfire risk reduction in March 2025 west of the Jasper townsite. Experts in Ontario say governments and residents should take every precaution necessary to reduce the damage caused by wildfires. (Submitted by Parks Canada)
The FireSmart recommendations range from small steps, such as removing combustible materials from your deck, to bigger projects, such as reducing the amount of shrubs, trees and dead vegetation within 10 metres of buildings.
"There's a lot you can do before we get to a situation where we're dealing with wildfire risk," Thistlethwaite said, noting incentives from different levels of government and insurance companies could encourage more people to take up those best practices.
Plus, at this point in Ontario's wildfire season, it's too early to predict how the rest of it will pan out, he adds.
"Response is always going to be a challenge, but we can do a lot before we need to bring in [a] response," Thistlethwaite said.
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This article, written by Britnei Bilhete, was originally published for CBC News