the MNR
Some Ontario firefighting resources in British Columbia have reached the end of their 14-day tour of duty and are returning to Ontario today.
A total of 168 personnel are scheduled to return.
Prior to this group’s return, Ontario sent an additional 206 personnel to B.C. on Sunday, which brought the total number of Ontario personnel there to 490.
This number will be reduced when the 168 personnel, including FireRangers and overhead staff, return home today.
Rotation of resources in and out of an ongoing wildfire situation is a standard safety procedure to allow fresh personnel to come in and take over from personnel who have been working long, hard hours over a two-week period.
The returning resources will travel back to their home bases, rest, and then return to duty at their district and regional locations.
Ontario also continues to supply equipment, such as pumps, hoses, and sprinkler systems for values protection, to both Saskatchewan and B.C.
Requests for assistance for other provinces and territories are co-ordinated through the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) in Winnipeg.
Sufficient firefighting personnel, equipment, and aircraft remain in Ontario to meet current and forecast fire demands here.
Ontario resources are stationed at several locations in B.C.
In related news, no new forest fires were reported in the West Fire Region as of this morning.
Four fires remain active in the far north, which are being monitored.
