Feds asked to consider national fire service as country grapples with ‘new normal’ wildfire season

So far this year, more than 2,600 fires have burnt through 5.3 million hectares. As of June 15, 458 fires were burning across the country, of which 235 were out of control. Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair said this year's fire season is the worst of the 21st century.

Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair office said the federal government is continually assessing its 'emergency management approach to ensure we are being responsive to the needs of communities.'The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

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BY STEPHEN JEFFERY

June 18, 2023

As Canada faces its worst wildfire season in more than 20 years, NDP MP Richard Cannings has joined some academics in calling for the federal government to consider the creation of a national firefighting service to assist provinces with forest fires.

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