Ten newly trained First Nations wildland firefighters have been deployed to Alberta.
They’re assisting with wildfire suppression efforts.
They are known as the Wabanaki Wildland Crew and they are out west for two weeks.
Natural Resources Minister Ted Flemming says New Brunswick is the first province in Atlantic Canada to assist in deploying an Indigenous firefighting crew.
The team has members from the Neqotkuk (Tobique), Natoaganeg (Eel Ground), and Sitansisk (Saint Mary’s) First Nations.
Twenty Indigenous firefighters from New Brunswick received their Type 2 wildland firefighting certification in April.
Recruitment efforts for even more First Nations members are ongoing.
“With more and more out-of-control wildfires taking place across Canada, we all need to work together to help each other to mitigate these problems,” said Travis Sappier, capacity development co-ordinator of the Mawiw Council. “With the wildland certification training and deployment, the Wabanaki fire crew is gaining valuable experiences and knowledge which they are able to bring back to New Brunswick and to their own communities.”
