Today, the Honourable Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada, issued the following statement:
"Wildfires in Newfoundland and Labrador are stretching firefighting resources amidst challenging weather conditions. The situation is posing a significant risk to critical infrastructure and communities, some of which have been ordered to evacuate.
In times like this, all orders of government need to work together, and that coordination is already underway.
Last night, in my capacity as Minister of Emergency Management, I approved a Request for Federal Assistance from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, authorizing as needed:
- aircraft to assist with response efforts
- personnel to assist with planning, coordination, and logistics
- Type 3 firefighters to assist firefighting efforts
- transportation of essential people and goods
- additional humanitarian workforce capacity
The Government Operations Centre is working with the Canadian Armed Forces, the Canadian Coast Guard, and other federal and provincial partners, to deploy all necessary resources, and ensure the province has the necessary support to deal with these wildfires.
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the first responders, including firefighters, emergency management officials, local volunteers, and members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Coast Guard for their unwavering commitment to keeping people safe and protecting homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure.
I will continue to be in close contact with my counterpart in Newfoundland and Labrador as the situation evolves. During these difficult times, we are here and ready to support."
