About 300 Canadian soldiers have arrived in Alberta to help with the wildfire emergency ahead of more hot, windy weather.
Over the next few days, Canadian Armed Forces units will deploy to the Grande Prairie, Fox Creek and Drayton Valley areas, the province said Thursday.
Troops from 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (3PPCLI) and 1 Combat Engineer Regiment (1CER) are moving out to establish bases of operations in the province.
One company (approximately 100 soldiers) from 3PPCLI are in Grand Prairie. One company (approximately 100 soldiers) from 1CER are in Drayton Valley and one company (approximately 100 reservists) from 41 Canadian Brigade Group are in Fox Creek.
Army reserve soldiers drawn from across Alberta will deploy this week, the province added.
It said the CAF can help with:
- Firefighting support to aid in mop-up operations and basic firefighting duties.
- Airlift resources for increased mobility and logistical responsibilities, such as evacuating isolated communities.
- Engineering support will be provided where required, incorporating heavy equipment resources.
Military personnel will be used “where they are most needed,” the government said, in co-ordination with the Alberta Emergency Management Agency and Alberta Wildfire.
“We also have Royal Canadian Air Force aircraft standing by, to assist with evacuations, as needed,” a National Defence spokesperson said. “The RCAF has personnel and a variety of fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft that could support if required.”
CAF resources will be provided for an initial period of two weeks, with a one-week extension possible.
“(Canadian Forces) are ready to provide firefighting support and airlift resources for mobility and logistical tasks, including evacuation of isolated communities,” federal Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said Wednesday night.
“The Canadian Armed Forces are now deploying forces to provide air-lift service and construction engineering services,” Blair added on Thursday. “We’re also working to make sure the RCMP are adequately resourced to provide some of that security… There is very important work going on with Indigenous Services Canada in impacted Indigenous communities.
“When these types of tragic events occur, it’s all hands on deck and we all work together.”
Premier Danielle Smith first reached out to the federal government on Monday morning to ask for military aid after declaring a provincial state of emergency Saturday.
Federal officials said Alberta’s request for federal assistance was approved Wednesday. In a message on Twitter, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the Canadian Forces would provide “firefighting support and airlift resources, assist with the evacuation of isolated communities and help keep people safe.”
As of Thursday, there were 82 active wildfires — 23 of which are considered out of control — according to the Alberta Wildfire dashboard.
There are 19 states of local emergency and four band council resolutions, said Colin Blair of the Alberta Emergency Management Agency on Thursday.
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Indigenous Services Canada said Tuesday that nine First Nations were under threat by active wildfires.
There were 12 evacuation orders in place as of Wednesday afternoon and about 16,470 Albertans affected by evacuation orders.
The province said Thursday that people might see military vehicles on roads and in the air, as Royal Canadian Air Force fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters help move personnel and equipment.
“This movement and the establishment of these positions will create bases of operations for the forces to conduct fire mitigation efforts under the supervision of Alberta Wildfire personnel,” the province added.
The military said the provincial agencies are in charge of the wildfire response and the CAF supports them.
Alberta Minister of Public Safety Mike Ellis said he’s been in discussions with Blair and Deputy Commissioner Curtis Zablocki, the commanding officer of RCMP in Alberta, about getting 20 additional RCMP officers in from Saskatchewan.
Troops from the Canadian Armed Forces were seen in the Drayton Valley area Wednesday afternoon.
The Town of Drayton Valley said Thursday one company from 1 Combat Engineer Regiment, from the Canadian Forces’ 3rd Canadian Division Support Base in Edmonton, arrived Wednesday to support firefighting efforts.
“The only role for these members of the Canadian Armed Forces in Drayton Valley and Brazeau County is to support Alberta Wildfire,” town officials said. “They have no policing or law enforcement role.
“The company will be providing support to firefighting crews on the ground (and) digging up and addressing hot spots in areas that need to be accessed on foot.
“They will also be using light equipment such as chainsaws to knock down dead trees and prepare firebreaks.”
There are 284 out-of-province firefighters helping out.
Firefighters from the Oregon Department of Forestry have arrived in Alberta.
“All ODF firefighters have made it to Alberta and were briefed today alongside Alaskan firefighters on the current status of the Alberta wildfires,” the department said Wednesday in a Facebook post. “They have been assigned to their fires across the province and will officially start their 14-day fire assignments tomorrow.”
Oregon is part of the Northwest Compact, which includes five U.S. states and five Canadian provinces and territories.
“In this case, Alberta needed help and they requested resources and so Oregon was able to answer that request, luckily, and send 22 firefighters up to help,” said Jessica Prakke, the Oregon Department of Forestry’s public affairs officer.
She said the firefighters are deployed on a 14-day assignment, which can be shortened or extended to 21 days, based on need.
“At the simplest level, it could be digging a line around the fire,” Prakke said. “We’re really just following Alberta’s lead. Whatever they need our firefighters to do, they’re there to help and be of assistance in any way possible.”
Oregon firefighters have been to Canada before, she added.
“We’ll send out a team to anybody who makes a call and we have the resources to spare,” Prakke said. “Last year, we sent teams to Texas and New Mexico and Alaska and Washington to help.
“We are happy to help our partners because, at the same time, we have seasons where we need help and we hope that in those times, our partners would send help to us in return.
“For us, fire is a family, and we’re happy to help Alberta in their time of need.”
Alberta’s Emergency Management Cabinet Committee is meeting regularly about the wildfire situation and “continues to have decision-making abilities” despite the legislature being dissolved for the election campaign, the province said.
The latest updates on the Alberta wildfire emergency, Alberta Wildfire status and Alberta Emergency Alerts, including evacuation alerts and orders, can be found online.
Albertans seeking information or support can call 310-4455.
Anyone who has been forced out of their home due to wildfire is asked to register at local reception centres or at emergencyregistration.alberta.ca.