Ottawa approved a request for federal assistance from Nova
Scotia to support the province’s efforts to combat multiple wildfires out of
control.
In a letter to the prime minister on Wednesday, Prime
Minister Tim Houston requested urgent help from Ottawa and other provinces.
“Nova Scotia is a province in crisis,” the letter said.
On Friday, a federal government press release said Defense
Minister Anita Anand authorized the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) to provide:
planning and coordination support
ignition specialist personnel and equipment
personnel and tools to assist in basic firefighting
functions
“An Immediate Response Unit, from 2nd Battalion, Royal
Canadian Regiment, based in Gagetown, New Brunswick, will be on hand to assist
with basic firefighting. A CAF Liaison Officer is already embedded in the
Provincial Emergency Operations Center to help assess the situation and assist
with planning efforts,” the press release read.
CAF will assist Nova Scotia for the next three weeks, with
the possibility of a one-week extension, according to the press release.
“Our assistance to the province of Nova Scotia, as they
fight these unpredictable and devastating fires, is a tangible demonstration of
CAF’s dedication to their continued readiness to assist civil authorities in
times of natural disasters,” Anand said.
When it comes to managing bushfires, Bill Blair, chairman of
Canada’s King’s Privy Council and Minister for Emergency Preparedness, said
“everyone is on deck.”
“We recognize how traumatic and impactful displacement and
evacuation can be for people who have had to flee their homes and the great
anxiety this can cause. I am so grateful for the work of all our first
responders, firefighters, community volunteers and the Canadian Red Cross and
other local organizations,” Blair said.
The federal government has also pledged to provide the
following supports:
Parks Canada currently has resources deployed to support
various partner agencies and will continue to coordinate with the Canadian
Interagency Bushfire Center (CIFFC) on all future requests for resources.
Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) is prepared to
provide contracting support to the province for supplies and logistics.
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) is prepared
to support affected Canadians with enhanced Service Canada hours, evacuee
outreach and mobile outreach deployment to evacuation centers to support
requests for services such as employment insurance . ESDC is prioritizing
employment insurance claims for those affected. There are additional procedures
to facilitate employment insurance claims when employers are unable to issue
employment records or when paper checks cannot be delivered as a result of
emergency situations.
Indigenous Services of Canada (ISC) continues to support
affected First Nations through the Emergency Management Assistance Program
(EMAP). Through EMAP, ISC maintains close contact with affected First Nations
and is able to advance funds or reimburse them for eligible expenses as needs
are identified during daily communications with leadership and other partners
such as tribal councils and the province .
The Public Health Agency of Canada’s (PHAC) National
Emergency Strategic Stockpile (NESS) is engaged and ready to assist with the
delivery of any additional resources that can be tapped.
Regional Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
(ISED) staff are on the ground working with the province and telecommunications
service providers to keep people connected.
Health Canada has deployed six air quality monitors to Nova
Scotia to provide additional air quality monitoring capacity during emergency
response efforts.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), as Nova Scotia’s
provincial police service, has been involved in the bushfire response from the
beginning by assisting with evacuation efforts and road closures, publicly
communicating vital public safety information, proactively patrolling
communities to ensure safety. and complying with mandatory evacuation orders,
and providing assistance to all partner agencies involved.
Transport Canada (TC) will work with provincial officials to
better understand the needs for potential flexibility in federal regulations to
address any gaps in fire suppression and emergency evacuations while ensuring
aviation safety is maintained. TC has issued a Notice to Airmen in support of
aerial wildfire suppression in Nova Scotia and will continue to support law
enforcement efforts to ensure the safety of air operations.
The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) currently has responders and
assets deployed to provide support to the Province of Nova Scotia in the form
of Mobile Incident Command Post trailers, crew support trailers, and
helicopters for airlift and aerial surveillance. .
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) will continue
to provide weather forecasting capabilities to the Nova Scotia Office of
Emergency Management.
The government says it is continuing to evaluate what
additional resources may be available through other federal departments and
agencies.
