As Ontario wildfires rage, Canadian Forces on ‘standby’ to help: minister
The Canadian Armed Forces are on standby to assist Ontario with ongoing wildfires, though no formal request for deployment has been made. While the province currently manages the situation, the military is prepared to provide support for evacuations if conditions worsen.
Why it matters
As wildfires become more frequent due to climate change, the coordination between provincial and federal emergency services is critical for public safety.
The Canadian Armed Forces are on “standby” to help Ontario deal with the impacts of the wildfires raging in the northern regions of the province, Defence Minister David McGuinty said on Friday.
“The minister for emergency preparedness is engaged and has been dialoguing for constant touch with the province now for probably two weeks in anticipation of what’s happening,” McGuinty said.
He added, however, that “no formal requests have come from that department to the Canadian Armed Forces.”
“We’re on standby. Our personnel’s on standby. Equipment’s on standby. But we are helping under other authorities now to airlift people out, to move people out. We’re waiting for a more formalized ask,” he said.
Currently, the province and the emergency preparedness department are “apparently capable to handle the situation,” he said.
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