News release

Nova Scotia to Deploy a Second Unit to Fight Fires in Alberta

Natural Resources (to July 2018)

The Department of Natural Resources is sending another 21 member firefighting crew to Alberta to assist with the high number of forest fires.

The first unit, consisting of 20 wildland firefighters and an agency representative, returns to Nova Scotia on Saturday, June 18, after completing a 14 day mission fighting wildfires throughout northern Alberta. The emergency request for additional resources from Nova Scotia came through the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.

"We fully understand the importance of sharing resources when another province is experiencing a difficult situation," said Natural Resources Minister Charlie Parker.

"With the low fire activity and wet weather in Nova Scotia, we are in a good position to help with forest firefighting efforts in Alberta."

The team, consisting of staff from the department's three regions, will leave Halifax on Sunday, June 19, for a two week assignment.

Nova Scotia is a member of the Canadian Mutual Aid Resource Sharing Agreement, established in the early 1980s, which ensures all provinces and territories will receive help if forest fires become too big for them to handle.