Wildland firefighters in Alberta are calling on the public to pressure the provincial government into addressing their concerns about preparedness for the current fire season.
This urgent plea comes as the province faces an escalating wildfire crisis with 40 active wildfires and recent evacuations affecting communities, including the Cold Lake First Nation and the Peace River district.
James Gault, vice-president of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE), which represents wildland firefighters and other workers in the Department of Natural Resources, expressed frustration over the government’s handling of the situation.
“Firefighters and others in the Department of Natural Resources have been warning the government for months that we’re not ready for fire season,” Gault stated.
Retention and recruitment crisis
Gault highlighted a critical retention and recruitment crisis, noting that more than half of last year’s seasonal firefighting crews have not returned.
“This has left us with some crew leads who have only two years of experience leading teams who have even less experience,” he said. The shortage of experienced personnel exacerbates the challenge of managing the increasing number of wildfires.
Grim outlook for 2024 season
Despite recent rain in some areas, the outlook for the fire season remains grim. Gault pointed out that the government had initially declared the start of the fire season in February.
However, he criticized the lack of readiness as of May, attributing this to inconsistent statements from Todd Loewen, Minister of Forestry and Parks.
“He claims we’ll achieve full staffing and training by May 15. He said earlier we’d be ready on April 15, but we weren’t,” Gault noted. “One day he says we’re hiring 35 people every week and the next he says we finished hiring two months ago. We simply cannot trust what the minister says.”
Public campaign
The AUPE has launched a campaign urging Albertans to advocate for wildland firefighters by contacting their Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs). The campaign aims to amplify the voices of firefighters who are currently too occupied with their duties to campaign themselves. The public can participate by visiting the campaign page at AUPE Wildland Firefighters.
“These firefighters are risking their lives to keep Albertans safe. They’re too busy protecting us to campaign, so they need Albertans to be their voice. The government has been deaf to the workers. Will they be deaf to voters, too?” Gault concluded.
The wildfire situation in Alberta remains critical, and the response from both the government and the public will be pivotal in addressing the challenges faced by the province’s firefighting teams.
