Northern Ontario firefighters en route to help fight B.C. wildfires

Natural resources ministry says 140 personnel to be deployed

Firefighters and other personnel charged with battling wildfires in northern Ontario are heading west to help with efforts to combat blazes raging in British Columbia, according to Ontario’s natural resources ministry.

“Fire rangers will be assigned to forest fires out in British Columbia and will help with the actual suppression of forest fires,” Jonathan Scott, a spokesperson with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry in northwestern Ontario, told CBC News.

“Support staff will help with supporting managing forest fire incidents and also supporting logistics and communications,” he added.

In total, about 140 people will be sent from fire bases across northern Ontario starting on Tuesday, Scott said, adding that he’s not yet sure exactly where they will be stationed, or which blazes firefighters will be assigned to.

Out-of-province deployments usually last approximately two to three weeks, he said.