After report on 2023 wildfires, calls for N.W.T. gov't to invest more in firefighters
CBC
Northwest Territories MLAs — and a wildfire expert — say the Northwest Territories government needs to follow the recommendations of a recent review of the 2023 wildfire season and increase investment in training and support for N.W.T. firefighters.
The 212-page report, tabled Wednesday, is based on a third-party review of the N.W.T. Department of Environment and Climate Change (ECC) response to 2023's unprecedented wildfire season. The review was commissioned by the N.W.T. government and completed by Calgary-based consulting firm MNP.
Recommendations in the report include improving firefighter training, using better fire modelling software, and better supporting firefighter mental health.
"The minister is still saying we need to find the money," said Range Lake MLA Keiron Testart. "When it comes to people and communities' safety, that should pay for itself. This needs to be a priority."
Testart said he wants to see the territorial government implement all of the recommendations in the report, starting with increasing staffing on fire crews to reduce burnout, and investing in more advanced software to model fire behaviour.
He also called on other regular MLAs to pressure the territorial government put money behind these recommendations during budget time next year. He said it's a necessary step to ensuring the report doesn't just sit on a shelf.
"We've seen this in the past … the GNWT will come forward and say 'I know the report looks bad, but we've done most of the things, don't worry about it' — and two or four years later another report is issued and the situation is worse."
Testart said that although he thinks there are many good recommendations in the report, he still believes a public inquiry into the 2023 wildfire season is needed.
"These are operational reviews … and they're on the department's terms," he said. "We wanted completely unimpeachable, unbiased perspective on the issues."
He also said that a public inquiry would provide a more holistic picture of what went wrong, rather than two separate reviews for Municipal and Community Affairs and Environment and Climate Change.
"Until we get the full picture, we can't actually move forward."
Dehcho MLA Sheryl Yakelaya, who first brought forward the motion calling for a public inquiry into the 2023 wildfire season, also told CBC she believes a full inquiry is still needed.
She said she believes it would be a better tool for ensuring the N.W.T. Government is truly accountable to residents who were impacted by last year's wildfires, like those in Enterprise who lost their homes.
"We need to talk to the people that were really affected," she said.
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