Question Period Note: Wildfires in Manitoba

To inform on the current wildfire situation in Manitoba.

• The Government of Canada is committed to working with provinces, territories and whole-of-society partners to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from wildfire events.
• We maintain continuous communication with our federal, provincial and territorial partners, including Indigenous communities, and impacts on communities are monitored on a 24/7 basis.
• Public Safety Canada’s Government Operations Centre, on behalf of the Government of Canada, is the lead for federal response coordination for emergency events affecting the national interest and works in close collaboration with federal organizations, non-governmental organizations and provincial emergency management partners.
• The Government Operations Centre mobilized its event response team in April and team continues to monitor and report on wildland fire events.
• Should a province or territory make an official request for federal assistance, there is a well-established process in place for managing these requests through the Government Operations Centre and includes interdepartmental consultation and coordination.
• The Government of Canada received a request for federal assistance from Manitoba on August 14, 2024, and was approved the same day. The supports provided included Canadian Armed Forces assets to support the evacuation of the Bunibonibee Cree Nation, and support from the Canadian Rangers to support logistics.

Responsive lines (if prompted) :
• Residents are reminded to exercise caution and should continue to follow instructions provided by law enforcement and first responders.
• Emergencies are managed first at the local level. If municipal and local governments need assistance at the local level, they request it from the province or territory. If the emergency overwhelms provincial or territorial capacity, the province or territory may seek assistance from the federal government.
• We are grateful for the tireless work of emergency responders on the front lines and behind the scenes. They are making a difference, and I—and all Canadians—are immensely grateful.

The Government Operations Centre (GOC) is mandated, on behalf of the Government of Canada, to lead and support response coordination of events affecting the national interest. It is an interdepartmental response-focused asset of the Government of Canada working in support of deputy heads, departments and agencies at the national (strategic) whole-of-government level.
It brings all partners into a common environment to harmonize collective actions and abilities into efficient analysis and action.

Each year, in consultation with partners, the GOC completes a comprehensive risk assessment and planning process in advance of flooding and the wildland urban interface seasons. The intent is to increase federal preparedness to support provinces and territories for potential spring flooding and urban interface wildfires. The final outcomes include a national risk assessment and the Government of Canada Contingency Plan for each of these cyclical events. The objective of these Contingency Plans is to outline a coordinated structure for an integrated federal response to flooding or wildfire events, in support of the provinces and territories (PT), for regions of concern. The Contingency Plan also provides strategic guidance and orientation for planning and response personnel at the national level.

During the flooding and wildfire seasons, our government maintains continuous communication with our federal and provincial partners, including Indigenous Communities, while monitoring impacts on communities on a 24/7 basis.

Climate change is making natural disasters more severe, more frequent, more damaging and more expensive. In the past few years, the Minister of Public Safety, on behalf of the federal government, has accepted increasing numbers of Requests for Assistance (RFAs) for relief efforts from devastating events including the recent impacts from Hurricane Fiona, Atmospheric River events, and 2023 wildfires.

Current Situation (As of September 10, 2024, at 09:00hrs EST)

Manitoba
The Agency Preparedness Level for Manitoba is at level 2: the demand for mobilization of firefighters and equipment from other jurisdictions is light. There are 17 active fires and one out of control.
Red Sucker Lake was evacuated on July 28, 2024, due to smoke and the proximity of a nearby wildfire. Provincial and Indigenous leadership was successful in managing these activities, and no federal assistance was required. Repatriation occurred on August 9 for Red Sucker Lake, Wasagamack and St. Theresa Point First Nations following the return to safe conditions in these remote communities.

A RFA was received on August 14 from the provincial government to support the evacuation of the Bunibonibee Cree First Nation as a result of a wildland fire threatening the community. The request was approved the same day. Over the course of 48 hours, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) airlifted approximately 2,129 community members and the Canadian Rangers support logistical support. Repatriation of the community began the first week of September.

CIFFC

The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) is at a National Preparedness Level (NPL) of 3: Demand and mobilization of interagency resources through CIFFC is moderate to high and the potential for emerging significant wildland fires is normal for time of year.

Requests for Federal Assistance

When a PT makes an official RFA, there is a well-established process in place for managing RFAs, through the GOC at Public Safety Canada, that includes interdepartmental consultation and coordination of all departments as required. The GOC coordinates formal RFAs from the federal government and PTs and liaises with key organizations such as the CAF and non-governmental organizations like the Canadian Red Cross through the Humanitarian Work force program.

When the emergency involves a First Nation (FN) community, FN leadership, depending on relevant emergency management agreements, will work in collaboration with their PTs and/or Indigenous Services Canada or regional officials, to assess the emergency and propose a response. If a resolution is not possible at the regional level, a request for assistance may be sought.

Public Safety Canada received one RFA related to wildfire response to date:

RFA (00304-24-RFA162)
• Received and approved on August 14, 2024. The period of support was for two days, from August 14 to 16.
• The supports were linked directly to the evacuation of Bunibonibee Cree Nation.
• The CAF provided airlift assets to support evacuation efforts, and local personnel from the Canadian Rangers to support logistical tasks deemed necessary.
• The CAF evacuated a total of 2,129 community members of Bunibonibee Cree Nation.

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