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.
“If it gets to a level where they require a more direct and immediate support from the Canadian Armed Forces, like always, the women and men of the Canadian Armed Forces will be there,” McGuinty added.
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If the military is called in to help, the assistance could include evacuations, the minister said.
A slew of forest fires continues to burn across northern Ontario, with flames already razing communities such as Namaygoosisagagun First Nation, also known as Collins First Nation, north of Thunder Bay.
The Ontario government and the Assembly of First Nations have called on Ottawa to provide immediate support, while other provinces such as Alberta have deployed firefighters and water bombers to help.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has said his government is in close contact with its counterparts in Ontario and is ready to help as needed.
Officials say there are 136 active fires in the northwest region, with 63 out of control, along with another 44 in the northeast.
Environment Canada says the hazy, smoky conditions in some areas could temporarily improve Friday, but for others, they could persist into the weekend.
— with files from The Canadian Press
Why wait??? Quebec would have called them all out as soon as the fires started. History proves it, one that I remember “ice storm” and lots of others, like power failures etc.etc. Call them out already. Taxpayer funded military, not Quebec, should fight to save CANADA and our forests.
McGuinty is completely useless and couldn’t organize a piss up in an Irish Pub.
Does anyone in that province have a clue? They’re way beyond standby mode.
I’m afraid of Russia but China there ok I trust them more that the US
P:S I’m an hypocrite !!!
The fire is out of control and all resources should have been mobilized already. I have no confidence in Mark Carney.
So a a large portion of the province is on fire and he has people who.can help.waoting on the sidelines
That’s not the flex they seem to think it is
@Colin Respectfully, I’ll address one of your concerns, Ukraine. Most of the money provided was recovered from Russian assets. And if Russia isn’t stopped now, they will come for us. We need to remember the lessons taught to us from the pre WW2 appeasers, Chamberlain and Daladier.
Carney and Lard Ford. A day late and a dollar short as usual.
@Ben
How many water bombers did they purchase and/or build?
Instead of foreign aid and overseas money laundering and funding Lockheed Martin/Raytheon stocks by giving Ukraine money to test new war machinery… Billions upon billions upon billions… Which could have been used to purchase water bombers
I’m glad to see the Carney government has already been in discussions withe the Provincial government about this issue. Very proactive! And the statement from McGuinty “like always, the women and men of the CAF will be there,” is reassuring.