On June 3, the Honourable Bill Blair, President of the King's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness, approved a Request for Federal Assistance from Quebec to support their efforts to combat the significant wildfires in the province.
In support of this request, the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of National Defence, authorized the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) to provide:
- Help with fire turnover, clean up and hotspot dousing;
- Planning and coordination support; and
- Airlift for mobility and logistical tasks.
There are currently approximately 375 CAF members providing assistance in Quebec. These members, and other CAF resources will be deployed until June 24, with a possible one-week extension based on a joint evaluation of the situation with Quebec.
In addition to the CAF deployment, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) has been on standby to assist the province with technical support and expertise in civil engineering. Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) continues to support and work with First Nations communities, the Grand Conseil de la Nation Waban-Aki, other emergency management partners, such as Public Safety Canada, and the Canadian Red Cross, to support response to and recovery efforts.
The Government Operations Centre is working to coordinate the federal response to the wildfire situation in Quebec and across the country. Officials are working closely with federal and provincial partners to coordinate this assistance.
