**** DND Media Release
Canadian Armed Forces to assist municipal, provincial and federal partners in response to Nova Scotia forest fires
On Thursday, June 1, a Request For Assistance (RFA) from the Province of Nova Scotia resulting in the Department of National Defence (DND) and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) providing support to the province as it manages its wildfire situation was approved.
The CAF has been asked to provide:
- Planning and coordination support;
- Ignition specialist personnel and ignition equipment; and
- Personnel and resources to aid in basic type three firefighting roles which include fire turnover, mop up, and hotspot dowsing.
An ignition specialist and ignition equipment are being drawn from Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Gagetown and an Immediate Response Unit, from 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment, will be available to assist and enable firefighting, after they have been supplied with the necessary personal protective equipment and completed firefighting training to ensure safe and secure operations.
14 Wing/ CFB Greenwood is also supporting civilian company Bridger Aerospace with accommodations, ramp space, fuel stock and other logistics, enabling the company’s 6 CL-415 waterbombers and 1 PC-12 observation aircraft to assist in the firefighting efforts.
CAF liaison officers have already integrated into the provincial emergency operations centre to help assess the situation and assist with planning efforts. Additionally, CFB Halifax Fire Fighters have already provided two specialized fire fighting vehicles, with required crews, in support of forest fire efforts as per a memorandum of understanding between the base and HRM.
Based on the request for assistance, the CAF determines, alongside the appropriate Emergency Management authorities, which tasks require unique CAF capabilities to fulfil and where they may be best employed. Joint Task Force Atlantic continues to work with provincial authorities to understand the resources necessary to respond to the situation on the ground.
The size, structure, and capability of CAF support is tailored to the specific needs of the province-led emergency response. This ensures that CAF assistance complements and enhances provincial and local resources with unique capabilities, including military personnel and equipment. Our primary objective is to help provincial and local authorities ensure the safety of Canadians.
Provincial agencies will remain in charge of the response to the wildfires, with 5th Canadian Division and Joint Task Force Atlantic providing forces in support to them.
Quick Facts
- Operation LENTUS is the Canadian Armed Forces response to natural disasters in Canada.
- Provincial and territorial authorities are the first to respond when a major natural disaster occurs in Canada. If they become overwhelmed, they may ask the CAF for help. When the CAF responds to such a crisis, it is known as Operation LENTUS.
- Operation LENTUS follows an established plan of action to support communities in crisis. This plan can be adapted to multiple situations. These might take the form of forest fires, floods, ice storms, or hurricanes.
- The objectives of Operation LENTUS are to help provincial and territorial authorities to respond quickly and effectively to the crisis and stabilize the natural disaster situation.
- Joint Task Force Atlantic is one of six regional joint task forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. The task forces are situated in key locations across Canada to conduct CAF continental operations.
- Joint Task Force Atlantic has its headquarters at Canadian Forces Base Halifax. It is located in Her Majesty’s Canadian Dockyard. The JTFA Commander also leads Maritime Forces Atlantic and the Halifax Search and Rescue Region (SRR). Maritime Forces Atlantic is a formation of the Royal Canadian Navy.
- JTFA is responsible for leading CAF continental operations across Atlantic Canada. This region includes Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, the region’s contiguous waters, and the region’s airspace.
- The JTFA area of responsibility includes the Halifax SRR. It is equal in size to about one third of Canada’s land mass. The area is home to nearly 2.5 million people.
- Canadians wishing to make a financial donation to help those impacted by the wildfires in Nova Scotia can do so online at www.redcross.ca.
- Donations to the Canadian Red Cross will be used for immediate and ongoing relief, recovery, and resilience efforts in response to the fires, and community preparedness and risk reduction for future all-hazard disaster events within Nova Scotia.
