Natural Resources
November 18, 2013
The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Derrick Dalley, Minister of Natural Resources:
Forest Fire Management Staff Commended for Protecting Province and People
Mr. Speaker, our government is focused on protecting our forests, our communities, our property and the residents of Newfoundland and Labrador through the provision of effective and efficient fire management services.
Our fire management staff responded to 67 forest fires on the island and 32 fires in Labrador during the 2013 official forest fire season. Overall, this was an average season in terms of the number of fires. However, there were periods of heightened activity near the end of June and early July when it was extremely busy, especially in Labrador.
During that period, fire management activities proved to be challenging with high winds, warmer than average temperatures and very little precipitation to assist relief efforts. Two fires, one near the Town of Wabush and the other at Gull Island in Labrador, proved especially challenging given the weather conditions at the time.
Mr. Speaker, our Forestry Services Branch maintains approximately 100 seasonal fire fighters deployed throughout the province. Our fire fighters work with permanent staff at the district and regional level and these staff also have fire management responsibilities.
For the Wabush fire, our staff worked with a Provincial Incident Management Team, non-government and enforcement agencies, local residents, town councils and others to ensure the safe evacuation of residents. They also worked side-by-side with other government departments, including Fire and Emergency Services Newfoundland and Labrador, and we commend the pilots and maintenance crews with the Department of Transportation and Works’ Air Services Division who did an incredible job this past summer and deserve special recognition.
While protection of the province’s resources is essential, safety of our staff and the public is paramount. A strict safety culture is maintained while fighting a fire and considerable effort goes into keeping everyone safe. Fire fighting is extremely dangerous and that is why we utilize a team of trained professionals on our fires.
Mr. Speaker, our government is dedicated to a continuous improvement approach to forest fire management and recognizes training is a key component. We take tremendous pride in our fire fighting capabilities and we applaud the courageous men and women who are willing to stand up and protect our forests and our people. Thank you.
2013 11 18 1:55 p.m.