The flooding in the northeast region of the province has prompted the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry to re-route their forest firefighting crews to assist with the flooding in areas of the Northeast including the Mattawa area.
As of Wednesday, 17 members of Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services team currently deployed to assist with sandbagging efforts and the movement of water from low lying areas in various communities affected by flooding.
“The majority of FireRanger crews deployed have been working to assist with sandbagging efforts, while other crews have been working to help remove water from low-lying areas,” said Jolanta Kowalski, spokesperson for the MNRF.
It is a stark contrast to last summer’s record-breaking forest fire season, but Kowalski recalls there were some similarities to last May.
“The fire season was off to a slow start last year but not quite as quiet as it has been this year,” said Kowalski.
“The snow and ice have been slow to melt this spring. There has also been significant precipitation in April and May which has helped keep the fire hazard slow.
Kowalski says so far this year there have been 60 fires in the entire province compared to 183 at the same time last year.
FireRangers also have a lot of training that can relate well to flooding situations.
“Ontario FireRangers are extensively trained to work with pumps and hoses, and they are proficient at moving water,” noted Kowalski.
