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Province beefs up personnel as wildfire season begins

Minister Mike Harris announced the Ministry is ready for the wildland fire season that began April 1, stating "We are ready to protect communities from wildland fires, with all the necessary resources in place."
The Ontario government will add 68 permanent staff to strengthen the frontline response, along with increased compensation for wildland firefighters, pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers, and support staff.
Additional investments for this wildland season include six new $500-million DeHavilland DHC-515 waterbombers to bolster aerial firefighting capabilities. These aircraft expand the province's frontline response infrastructure.
Both the provincial and federal governments are investing in the Wildfire Resilient Futures Initiative to support training and education. This program strengthens capacity to reduce fire risks across the region.
The Ministry recommends checking the interactive Forest Fire Map for local restrictions and ensuring campfires are completely extinguished before leaving. Tools and water should be kept on standby to reduce human-caused fires.

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