Does Saskatchewan have the resources for a summer of wildfires?
With no end date in sight, province prepares to recruit and train more people
With Saskatchewan looking at a summer of wildfires, Premier Brad Wall said his government will find the money to fight them.
About 400 Canadian soldiers are now on the front lines helping to relieve some of the firefighters who have been battling the flames for weeks. Crews from other regular and volunteer departments in the province have also signed up for duty to help support the effort.
We're going to worry first about people and about property and getting folks back home.- Premier Brad Wall
"There is an idea of when things might hopefully quiet down," Wall said to reporters today, adding there is no firm end date.
Wall deferred to the military to confirm any timelines for the mission.
"I think they want to be here until they are no longer needed," he said.
Wall said the military is also keeping an eye on the situation in British Columbia and soldiers might be needed elsewhere as wildfires rip through dry western forests.
Provincial fire commissioner Duane McKay said the province hopes to have 300-400 new volunteers trained to fight fires in the next 10-14 days, possibly to relieve soldiers if they have to leave. McKay said the length of training might be extended to get more relief in the forests faster.
A crew from South Dakota has also come to Cypress Hills so that the provincial crew in that spot can travel north to fight fires.
'We're getting better at unprecedented events'
As for the bill, Premier Wall said his government is not concerned about finding the funds.
"We're going to worry first about people and about property and getting folks back home," he said while speaking on CBC's Power and Politics. "And then we're going to do whatever we can to make sure the budget stays balanced."
He referred to the flooding of the past two years in parts of the province.
"Unfortunately we're getting better at unprecedented events," said Wall. "Last year we did not budget for some unprecedented flood events that occurred in the province in June. And yet the public accounts were just tabled for last year and we managed to balance the budget."
Duane McKay said today that some of the very large fires in the north could burn for weeks because they are not affecting individuals. Firefighting efforts will focus on threats to communities.