Question Period Note: Emergency Preparedness and Response for Floods Wildland Fires and Hurricanes

o While the flood season has ended and the wildland fire season is winding down, the 2025 cyclical event season continues with the hurricane season. The flood and wildland fires impacted communities across the country and, tragically, there have been two fatalities as a result of wildland fires.

 So far, the 2025 fire season has been particularly challenging for Canada, with above-average wildland fire activity in several regions.

 The Government of Canada extends its sincere gratitude to first responders for their service in protecting lives and our communities.

 We remain committed to supporting Canadians and communities impacted by floods, wildfires and hurricanes, and continue to work closely with provincial and territorial partners.

 To date, the federal government has received and responded to 15 Requests for Federal Assistance from provinces and territories in response to wildland fire emergencies.

 Public Safety Canada’s Government Operations Centre conducts annual risk assessments for cyclical events such as floods, wildfires, and hurricanes. These assessments are shared with key emergency management partners to ensure national preparedness and coordination.

Government Operations Centre and Requests for Federal Assistance
o Public Safety Canada’s (PS) 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. During the flooding, wildland fire, and hurricane seasons, our government maintains continuous communication with federal and provincial partners, including Indigenous communities, while monitoring impacts on communities on a 24/7 basis.

o Every year, the GOC works to develop risk assessments for key cyclical events such as floods, wildfires, and hurricanes. These assessments are based on data collected from key stakeholders such as Environment and Climate Change Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Natural Resources Canada, and Indigenous Services Canada (ISC). The GOC also consults with PT partners and non-government stakeholders.

o The GOC Cyclical Event Team was activated on April 8, 2025, to provide 24/7 monitoring and reporting on flooding, wildland fires, hurricanes and to coordinate requests for federal assistance (RFA).

2025 Annual Floods Risk Assessment and Current Situation
o The GOC developed, validated and published its Annual Floods Risk Assessment in April. The forecast has proven accurate.
o Flooding impacted various portions of Canada in early 2025, however, they were effectively managed at the regional level.
2025 Annual Wildland Fires Risk Assessment and Current Situation
o The 2025 wildland fire risk assessment accurately characterized the risk for what has become the second worst on record. June, July and August brought widespread above-average fire severity across much of western, and central Canada, and saw increased activity in the Atlantic region in August.
o On September 16, 2025, the National Preparedness Level decreased from level 3 to level 2, reflecting a decrease in fire activity across much of the country due to a decrease in temperatures and precipitation in affected areas. The GOC de-escalated its posture to Level 1 on September 26, 2025.
2025 Annual Hurricane Risk Assessment
o The GOC released its annual hurricane risk assessment in August. This season is assessed to be above-average in terms of activity. To date, there have been 7 named storms, and 2 have entered the Canadian Hurricane Response Zone, with neither making landfall in Canada. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30.

If Pressed
Q1 — Emergency Management Responsibilities in Canada
§ Emergencies are a shared responsibility between all levels of government, but are managed first at the local level. If municipalities need assistance, they request it from the province or territory. If the province or territory needs assistance, the province or territory may seek assistance from the federal government.

Q2 — Requests for Federal Assistance
§ Should a province or territory make a request for federal assistance, there is a well-established process in place for managing these requests through the Government Operations Centre.

Q3 — What can Canadians do to prepare for emergencies?
§ Emergencies can happen at any time and Canadians should always be prepared. Canadians are invited to visit getprepared.ca for information on preparing for emergencies.

Q4 — Does Canada need more waterbombers or national aerial firefighting fleet to combat wildfires?
 Wildfire management is primarily the responsibility of provinces and territories within their jurisdictions, including the procurement and deployment of firefighting assets such as waterbombers.
 Coordination of interprovincial and international support is facilitated through the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, which enables resource sharing when requested by jurisdictions.
 Canada currently does not maintain a national fleet of waterbombers. However, we recognize growing concerns about capacity in the face of increasingly severe wildfire seasons. We continue to work closely with federal, provincial, territorial, and Indigenous partners to assess capacity needs and explore options to strengthen national readiness.
 It’s important to recognize that waterbombers are just one tool among many. Resilience to wildfire requires significant and sustained action to prevent human-caused wildfires, to proactively reduce risks before wildfires occur such through Firesmart initiatives, to strengthen preparedness and response capabilities, and investing in post-fire recovery efforts.
Q5 – What is the Hurricane Forecast?
 Every year between June and November, Atlantic Canada faces an elevated risk of storm impacts, particularly during the August to October peak period.

 Forecasts from the Canadian Hurricane Centre and U.S. experts point to an above-average Atlantic hurricane season for 2025, with 13 to 19 named storms expected—potentially higher than the seasonal average of 14.

 While we cannot predict specific landfalls, the federal government is monitoring closely and coordinating with partners to ensure collective readiness.