Group of P.E.I. firefighters to join the fight against wildfires in western Canada

A dozen P.E.I. firefighters have been deployed to help fight the wildfires disrupting communities in western Canada.

Ten forest firefighters have been sent to Saskatchewan, where there were 18 active fires as of Monday afternoon, with eight listed as not contained. On the border with neighbouring Manitoba, a huge fire continues to threaten Flin Flon, a city of 5,000 people. 

In addition to the 10 firefighters sent to Saskatchewan, two people have been sent to Manitoba to work as safety officers.

Mike Montigny is the manager of field services at the P.E.I. Forests, Fish and Wildlife Division.

"Every province, territory and federal agencies — including Parks Canada and the Department of National Defence — we all have signed agreements for mutual aid, knowing full well that you can't build a program for situations like Saskatchewan or the western part of Canada are facing right now," he said.

"Knowing that we can support each other when needed, they don't need to carry that permanent burden of the staffing, the training, the resourcing... We can share resources across this country."

Montigny said extreme fire emergencies happen only once in 15 to 20 years, though they seem to be more frequent in recent years.

The province of Saskatchewan declared a state of emergency on Thursday. About 20 communities have been under evacuation orders, with thousands displaced from their homes, many of them evacuated from remote communities by air.

Some of the firefighters sent out west have gone through the first year of the P.E.I. department's wildland fire program.

"We were able to get four great students this year," Montigny said. "They're excellent and so far they've been learning lots, and they're going to be buttoned in with some very, very experienced firefighters."

Montigny said there are a few things the province looks for in potential candidates for the training program: People who are "able to learn quickly, to be physically fit — because it's a physically demanding job — and to be able to deal with the mental side of wildland fire as well too."

Montigny said helping other provinces will continue to let P.E.I.'s firefighting strength grow.  

"That knowledge and experience comes back home to the Island," he said. "We're able to see, especially some of the younger employees, they get a confidence, they get some experience... you can't get that kind of training."

That confidence boost isn't just for the trainees, he added.