Fighting last summer's wildfires cost $212M, but province saying little else

Natural Resources and Forestry Minister Jeff Yurek told the provincial legislature in the midst of last summer's busy fire season that resources were in "good supply" and that crews "received the support they require."

He didn't mention how much that would cost taxpayers.

The next day, he announced an investment of an extra $100 million in forest fire fighting.

In the past, Ontario governments didn't make funding announcements when forest fire crews needed more than the base budget of $70 million. 

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry refused to answer CBC's questions about how that emergency funding is allotted.

But the ministry is saying that forest firefighting was $142 million over budget in 2018, for a total of $212 million.

That's about twice as much as each of the last five years.

Provincial crews fought 1,300 wildfires in 2018, much higher than the 10-year average of 757.

Forest firefighting costs by year:

• 2018-19: $212 million
• 2017-18: $118 million
• 2016-17: $107 million
• 2015-16: $95 million
• 2014-15: $78 million
• 2013-14: $92 million
• 2012-13: $180 million
• 2011-12: $209 million  

The last time the wildfire bill topped $200 million was in 2012, when the focus was on a 40,000 hectare fire called Timmins 9.

The province is still suing CP Rail for $38 million to cover the cost of fighting that fire seven years ago. 

The government is also considering filing a lawsuit against the wind farm operator whose construction workers accidentally started the 11,000-hectare Parry Sound 33 fire near Key River last summer.

But when asked by CBC, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry refused to disclose the cost of fighting individual fires. 

There were 1,300 fires recorded across the province, which was significantly higher than the 10-year average of 757 fires.