Last year was an historic wildfire season in Canada. Our climate is changing and with every passing year, we are experiencing an increase in extreme weather events. Climate change is causing extreme temperatures at a greater frequency than in the past, increasing the severity of heat waves and contributing to dry conditions, wildfires, and heavy precipitation risks. The Government of Canada released its forecast and early modeling of weather trends for 2024. These metrics indicate that we may be facing another catastrophic fire season.
In the event of an emergency, it is important for Canadians to know that there is a robust emergency response regime in place that encompasses all levels of government. In Canada, emergencies are managed first at the local level: hospitals, fire departments, police, and municipalities. If they need assistance at the local level, they request it from their province or territory. If an emergency escalates beyond the capabilities of a province or territory, they can seek assistance from the federal government by submitting a request for federal assistance (RFA).
Since last year's historic wildfire season, the Government of Canada has worked closely with First Nations, provinces, territories, and other emergency management partners to complete a robust lessons-learned review. As a result, we have engaged earlier in convening wildfire emergency preparedness planning and risk assessments. First Nations, federal, provincial, and territorial partners are fully engaged and ensuring strong links and communication. The government is developing the potential for civilian response capacity across jurisdictions to better leverage these capacities during and following large-scale emergency events in Canada.
An Indigenous Emergency Management (EM) Working Group convened in February 2024. The group will serve as a standing table for dialogue on Indigenous EM issues and needs.
First Nations, federal, provincial, and territorial partners are fully engaged and ensuring strong links, communication, and preparedness. We've increased readiness for this wildfire season by supporting fire agencies across Canada in procuring specialized firefighting equipment through NRCAN's $256 million Fighting and Managing Wildfires in a Changing Climate: Equipment Fund, and training 630 firefighters, and 125 fire Guardians under NRCAN's Fighting and Managing Wildfires in a Changing Climate: Training Fund. We've engaged with the Humanitarian Workforce partners on their capabilities to support provinces and territories this season.
We are also working closely with First Nations partners to incorporate their knowledge into our preparedness strategies and are supporting First Nations-led initiatives to build unique wildfire management capacities in communities.
We are also implementing advance payments to communities across the country. Instead of reimbursing costs, this new approach will allow First Nations to better prepare their communities and protect their infrastructure, and even plan evacuations.
We are supporting wildfire preparedness initiatives, including the acquisition of wildland firefighting equipment and personal protective equipment, wildfire training, and vegetation management projects in priority zones
This winter, Canadians experienced warmer-than-normal temperatures and widespread drought conditions across the country, adding to existing drought and low-water conditions. The latest seasonal weather outlook indicates that higher-than-normal temperatures are expected for the spring and summer, boosted by El Nino weather conditions. This sets the stage for the possibility of another active wildfire season and other incidents of extreme weather. The warmer than normal winter temperatures and drier than usual conditions may result in some regions - in particular western Canada, eastern Ontario, and southern Quebec - experiencing early, above normal, fire activity this April and May.
Our focus this spring remains on the dangerously dry conditions and the threat of renewed wildfire activity Canadians could face; however, drought conditions can also raise the possibility of extreme run-off and flooding in event of snow and ice melt or local heavy rainfall.
Climate change is real, and it is here; we have a plan, are coordinating across all levels of government and making important investments; we'll get through this together.
