Canada and New Brunswick Announce Major Investment in Wildfire Equipment and to Improve Community Resilience Against Wildfires

MONCTON, NB, Feb. 14, 2025 /CNW/ - With wildfires increasing in frequency and severity across Canada — impacting our health, economies, communities and wildlife — the Governments of Canada and New Brunswick are supporting Canadians whose lives and livelihoods are at stake.

Today, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, and the Honourable John Herron, New Brunswick Minister of Natural Resources, announced a joint investment of $40.1 million over four years through the Government of Canada's Fighting and Managing Wildfires in a Changing Climate Program (FMWCC) – Equipment Fund and the Resilient Communities through FireSmart (RCF) Program.

This joint investment is supporting the purchase of equipment such as tanks and pumps, drones, trucks and heavy equipment. By buying and upgrading equipment, upskilling training to personnel and establishing a group of Indigenous firefighters, New Brunswick will be better prepared to respond to local wildfires and provide support when other regions in Canada experience high fire activity.

This joint investment will also support wildfire preparation through the application of FireSmart practices in New Brunswick. This will help prevent wildfires and mitigate their impacts at the community level.

By working together with provinces, territories, Indigenous communities and international allies, the federal government is supporting the fight against wildfires in communities across the country.

Quotes

"The Government of Canada is providing provinces, territories and partners with the support they need to fight wildfires. Today's announcement with New Brunswick is part of our commitment to work cooperatively as we prepare to fight worsening wildfires. Through fast-flowing funding for firefighting tools, vehicles and personnel, we are helping communities prepare for future challenges."

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources

"As Canadians experience the growing impacts of climate change, it is our government's priority to provide timely and meaningful support to our communities. In New Brunswick, the increasing frequency and severity of wildfires due to worsening drought conditions highlight the local impact of climate change. In response to the growing threat of wildfires, we have announced significant funding to strengthen fire management efforts and protect New Brunswickers for years to come."

The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor
President of the Treasury Board and Member of Parliament for Moncton–Riverview–Dieppe

"With the expected impacts of climate change to our province, we must begin to make large investments now in order to be prepared for the future challenges. By investing and upgrading equipment and training as well as participating in the national FireSmart program, we will be better equipped to prepare for, mitigate, respond to and recover from wildfires in addition to protecting our homes, communities and our province."

The Honourable John Herron
New Brunswick Minister of Natural Resources

Quick Facts

• Both Canada and New Brunswick are providing $12.8 million each over four years through the FMWCC – Equipment Fund.
• Canada and New Brunswick are each providing $7.25 million over four years through a contribution agreement under the Resilient Communities through FireSmart (RCF) Program.
• Natural Resources Canada's (NRCan) FMWCC – Equipment Fund was launched in 2022 to proactively invest in and support provincial and territorial fire agencies' efforts in strengthening fire management capacities and capabilities across the country. By facilitating the purchase of firefighting equipment, such as fire crew trucks and personal protective equipment, the fund aims to increase capacity to respond to wildfires.
• Under the FMWCC – Equipment Fund, provinces and territories must cost-share investments with the Government of Canada for equipment, such as vehicles, mobile units, avionics upgrades (parts), hoses, pumps and enhanced communications equipment, and for the repair of aging equipment and training.
• FireSmart Canada, a national program within the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, empowers Canadians to increase neighbourhood resilience to wildfires and minimize their negative impacts. It offers resources, programs and recommendations designed to help individuals, landscape planners, forest managers and others protect homes and communities from wildfires.
• Through NRCan's RCF Program, the Government of New Brunswick will take the following actions:
  • Create specific jobs to oversee wildfire prevention initiatives;
  • Implement a province-wide FireSmart communications strategy;
  • Conduct risk assessments and vegetation management projects at the community level; and
  • Complete a comprehensive wildfire risk analysis to identify and prioritize mitigation efforts in high-risk communities.
• Visit Canada.ca/wildfires for a complete list of links to various federal supports for individuals impacted by wildfires.

Associated Links

• Canadian Wildland Fire Information System: Monthly and Seasonal Forecasts
• Canadian Wildland Fire Strategy
• Fighting and Managing Wildfires in a Changing Climate Program
• WildFireSat: Enhancing Canada's ability to manage wildfires
• Wildfire Resilient Futures Initiative
• Wildfires – Canada.ca
• Canada's National Adaptation Strategy: Building Resilient Communities and a Strong Economy

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SOURCE Natural Resources Canada

Contacts: Natural Resources Canada, Media Relations, 343-292-6096, [email protected]; Joanna Sivasankaran, Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, [email protected]; Nick Brown, Media Relations, Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development, [email protected]