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By Susan McNeil/Nick Nielsen

Helping out

Ready to go: PA council OKs help for California wildfires

Jan 17, 2025 | 12:31 PM

A recent appeal by the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency to provincial fire departments to be ready to help fight the Los Angeles wildfires met with unanimous approval from Prince Albert city council.

All councillors voted in favour of pre-approving the sending of up to four local firefighters to help out in the event the SPSA sends a response, which could possibly be Monday.

“I am very proud to be able to do this,” said Coun. Dawn Kilmer as she made the motion to approve the SPSA request. “That’s what neighbours do and who we are.”

Her words were echoed by other councillors in what was a very brief special council meeting on Thursday afternoon.

“This is an easy yes and definitely something we should be doing,” said Councillor Tony Head.

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Fire Chief Kris Olsen said he already has a shortlist of firefighters who are qualified to fight the type of blazes that have destroyed thousands of homes in the Los Angeles area over the last several weeks. So far, the fires have killed 27 people with another 18 unaccounted for.

The request was for structural firefighters initially, but that was changed slightly and now includes both structurally-trained and wildland firefighters.

“When the province reaches out to us, we’re one step closer to going if needed,” Olsen said. “We still had to be prepared, we felt as a municipality, as a fire department, that we had to be prepared in the event the ask does come our way.”

He doesn’t anticipate having any issues finding people among the pre-qualified members to go.

“We have a short list established and it didn’t take long to gather,” he said. Prince Albert can spare up to four firefighters without it impacting their own response capability too much.

In order to send the firefighters in their official capacity, council needed to approve the out of country travel. The financial details about who will cover the cost between the city and the SPSA have not been finalized yet but the potential expense will be accounted for in the 2025 fire department budget out of caution.

In total, the SPSA is sending down 10 firefighters from the province along with a Birddog aircraft and 3000 feet of hose. SPSA Manager of Communications and Media, Stephanie Wilkinson, said that the selection process for those firefighters is now ongoing.

“Through mutual aid agreements and partnerships, the SPSA works with other response agencies within Saskatchewan, across Canada and beyond. As in the past, the Agency will continue to work with our partners and support communities in need of assistance.”

As for costs to the province in sending assets to other countries to fight fires, the province makes back whatever money is spent to get their shared assets to the right place.

“The SPSA provides resources under mutual aid and recovers the associated costs from the agency that utilizes them.”

While it’s become fairly common for Saskatchewan firefighters and equipment to be used in crisis situations in other parts of the country and the world, but Saskatchewan has received aid recently as well.

“In 2024, the SPSA supported multiple territories, provinces and US states with resources, staffing and equipment. The Agency also received support from New Brunswick, Ontario, Alberta and Yukon in the same year.”

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com

nick.nielsen@pattisonmedia.com