Longer, hotter summers and increasingly dry conditions are raising concerns about wildfire risks across northern Manitoba, prompting the City of Thompson to look at ways to strengthen its firefighting capabilities.
The city is seeking provincial funding to purchase a specialized firefighting vehicle that would allow crews to reach remote backcountry areas where conventional fire apparatus may have difficulty accessing fires.
Thompson Fire Chief Dennis Benson said changing summer conditions are creating significant challenges for communities in the North, where high temperatures, low humidity and dry vegetation can increase the potential for wildfires.
“The biggest thing that I find is that our summers are getting longer and they’re getting hotter,” Benson said. “The relative humidity and the temperatures, they’re just so dry out there. It creates such a potential for a wildfire.”
The proposed vehicle would give Thompson Fire and Emergency Services another tool to respond to fires in remote areas and improve its ability to protect the surrounding region.
Benson previously outlined the need for the specialized apparatus during the city’s Oct. 5 Committee of the Whole meeting. Council reached a consensus to bring forward a resolution approving an application to the Manitoba Growth, Renewal and Opportunities for Municipalities (GRO) program to help fund the purchase.
The provincial program provides funding for eligible municipal infrastructure projects, covering up to 50 per cent of project costs, to a maximum provincial contribution of $5 million per project. Applications require a council resolution identifying the project and the municipality’s commitment to covering the remaining costs.
The proposed purchase comes as the department continues to expand its wildfire mitigation resources.
In 2025, the City of Thompson purchased a valley protection trailer designed to help firefighters defend neighbourhoods bordering wooded areas. The department later secured a $300,000 grant from the Canadian Red Cross through its 2025 wildfire mitigation equipment fund to purchase another trailer.
Equipped with pumps, hoses and nozzles, the trailers allow firefighters to establish protective equipment along a tree line or other areas adjacent to the urban-wildland interface.
The equipment can be positioned to help protect homes if a wildfire approaches a neighbourhood.
Benson said the department recognized the value of the trailers during the 2025 summer wildfire season and welcomed the opportunity to secure additional equipment through the Canadian Red Cross grant.
He said the funding was an important step in improving the department’s resources, although there is always a need for additional equipment.
“It’s a really good starting point,” he said.
Benson also welcomed the availability of more wildfire mitigation funding for municipalities and communities, noting the challenges are not unique to Thompson or northern Manitoba.
The department provides round-the-clock fire protection and emergency medical services to Thompson and the surrounding area.
It employs 24 career fire medics, five emergency medical dispatchers and one senior communications officer overseeing dispatch operations. Firefighters are organized into four platoons, with 19 auxiliary firefighters available to assist when additional personnel are required.
Benson, who has spent 42 years in the fire service, said the demands of the profession have changed considerably throughout his career.
He initially joined the industry after growing up in a small northern Manitoba community where volunteers were needed to support the local fire department.
“I figured, you know, what harm could I do? So I signed up. And 42 years later, I’m still plugging away,” he said.
Benson said advancements in firefighting technology, equipment and techniques have been significant, making ongoing training essential.
He added that his responsibilities now extend beyond his own safety to ensuring the firefighters under his command have the training, equipment and protection they need to do their jobs.
Wildfire response also involves extensive coordination between multiple agencies and community organizations.
Benson said Manitoba Wildfire, the Office of the Fire Commissioner, the Canadian Red Cross and local organizations can all play important roles during an emergency, from firefighting operations to providing food and other support for affected residents.
Ensuring those groups have the resources they need and coordinating their efforts is an important part of managing a wildfire response, he said.
