Whitehorse Daily Star

Yukon sends additional wildfire personnel to Alberta, N.W.T.

The Yukon government has sent more firefighters to Alberta and the Northwest Territories to help manage ongoing wildfire incidents.

By Whitehorse Star on June 1, 2023

The Yukon government has sent more firefighters to Alberta and the Northwest Territories to help manage ongoing wildfire incidents.

On Tuesday, a 21-person Yukon Wildland Fire Management unit crew and an agency representative began driving to Grande Prairie, Alta. to take part in wildfire operations.

An ignition specialist and an ignition specialist trainee have also deployed to Sambaa K’e, N.W.T., to provide technical support to a wildfire response.

“The Government of Yukon maintains a high level of readiness at home while helping other regions facing wildfires,” the government said Wednesday.

“Yukon crews can be recalled within 24 hours if the need arises.”

Unlike many areas of Canada, there were no wildfires in the territory as of Wednesday.

The Yukon’s firefighting resources are provided through the Canadian Inter-agency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) Mutual Aid Resource Sharing Agreement.

That pact, along with the Northwest Compact, enables the Yukon to provide and ask to borrow resources like firefighters and equipment.

Last year, Alberta exported a team of dispatchers through CIFFC to support Yukon Wildland Fire Management’s unprecedented wildfire response.

Meanwhile, the N.W.T. has provided several single resources in recent years.

Later in the summer of 2022, the Yukon provided a safety officer to Washington through the Northwest Compact.

The Yukon’s initial 21-person deployment to Alberta returned home on May 25.

An additional 19-person unit crew hired from Yukon First Nation Wildfire and a government agency representative are currently in Alberta.

With this current round of exports, 65 Yukon staff have been sent to support other provinces and territories in 2023.

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