Whitehorse, YT – One 20-person Yukon First Nations Wildfire crew will be in Alberta tomorrow, after being contracted by Yukon Wildland Fire Management, following frustration voiced over not being called to help in Jasper.
Yukon First Nations Wildfire offered two 20-person and a structure protection crew that can be in Jasper within a day by road or three hours by air.
Nick Mauro, the Chief Operating Officer of Yukon First Nations Wildfire, said the 20-person crew will be in Alberta tomorrow but it was not confirmed whether they will specifically be in Jasper.
A fire, which has damaged or destroyed around 30 percent of the town of Jasper, is being fought by firefighters from Parks Canada, Alberta Wildfire, Ontario and the Canadian Armed Forces. The fire has remained 32,000 hectares in size over the past two days and resulted in the evacuation of 25,000 Jasper residents.
Mauro says it was frustrating waiting for the call.
“We were waiting for that call to come. I understand the public’s frustration with our crews still being here while Jasper is burning,” said Mauro. “We share that frustration.”
The frustration came as hundreds of firefighters from Mexico, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia were either already helping or were on their way to fight other fires in western Canada.
The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) helps organize and move resources as requested by provinces, territories or Parks Canada.
Representatives from Yukon Wildland Fire Management said during a previous CIFFC-organized multi-agency call that the YFNW crews are ready to go.
“It’s our mandate to help. Beyond that, it’s the right thing to do,” said Mauro. “Our neighbors need help down south, and we want to send our crews to do what they do best—fight fire and help people.”
