Alberta soldiers deployed to Saskatchewan to fight wildfires
The Calgary Eyeopener | CBC News | Posted: July 8, 2015 6:59 PM | Last Updated: July 8, 2015
First time since 2003 Canadian military personnel brought in to battle inferno
About 450 members of the Princess Patricia Light Infantry in Edmonton have been deployed to help extinguish forest fires in northern Saskatchewan.
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"We're accustomed to dealing and operating in high-threat areas," said Col. Trevor Cadieu, commander of the 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade in Edmonton.
The Calgary Eyeopener reached Cadieu Wednesday morning from the armoury in Prince Alberta, Sask., where soldiers were getting geared up to conduct fire line operations in La Ronge and Montreal Lake.
He says the Canadian Armed Forces has brought in light armoured vehicles to help troops reach some of the tougher areas.
"They'll be conducting patrols in various communities and identify and suppress hot spots."
The last time military personnel were brought in to manage wildfires was in British Columbia in 2003.
"What is not uncommon to us though, is deploying troops in support of Canadians. It's our number one priority," said Cadieu.
He adds that many members of Princess Patricia Light Infantry in Edmonton who are currently in northern Saskatchewan also assisted in the 2013 Alberta floods, says Cadieu.
He says troops will stay as long as they are needed.