The Province of New Brunswick has launched the fire watch season early amid record-low precipitation, a lack of snow, and prolonged drought conditions.
“After what we saw last year, we know many New Brunswickers are feeling anxious about this wildfire season. That’s why we’ve made real investments to be ready,” Premier Susan Holt said in a release.
Last year, more than 400 fires burned in New Brunswick. It was considered the second-largest wildfire season in the province’s history.
Funding in the provincial budget has been allocated to turn 74 seasonal forest ranger positions into year-round roles. The government also said it would be expanding its contract with Forest Protection Ltd., a Fredericton-based company, to include four new Fire Boss aircraft for wildfire suppression.
Fire Boss aircraft are a highly specialized, amphibious, single-engine air tanker, capable of scooping roughly 3,000 litres of water in 15 to 30 seconds.
“We have had one of the driest years in decades with 10 consecutive months of below-normal precipitation,” John Herron, the minister of natural resources, said in a release. “Given these conditions, as well as last year’s wildfires, our wildfire team is approaching this season with extreme precaution and heightened awareness, and we are asking New Brunswickers to do the same. We need everyone on board to protect our people, forests and critical infrastructure.”
The government allocated funds for 50 communities to develop wildfire resiliency plans under FireSmart, designed to identify risk management, mitigation strategies, emergency response and community engagement.
Those plans were undertaken by the Southwest New Brunswick Service Commission (SNBSC) in Charlotte County, offering unique chapters to each region.
Each community has a copy of the draft, according to SNBSC CEO Hollis Bartlett, with the hope that final edits will be completed by the end of the month.
For more information, individuals can visit the Fire Watch website or FireSmart.
