LAC LA BICHE - Firefighters from Lac La Biche County are lending a helping hand in the fight to quell wildfires spreading throughout the Northwest Territories.
John Kokotilo, Regional Fire Chief and Manager of Emergency Management for Lac La Biche County, confirmed that the three firefighters – Nicole Cardinal, Captain Mark Wiebe, and Leah Larocque - are part of a Structure Protection Unit Team (SPU) and have been in Northwest Territories since Aug. 12.
There was a rotation over the weekend where another group of local firefighters was expected to replace those who were returning to the area.
“Our assistance was requested on Aug. 12,” he confirmed with Lakeland This Week. “As for other departments – I do know that the Alberta SPU Team, which consists of a number of municipalities, are quite heavily involved.”
Effectively battling wildfires requires plenty of equipment, and the members of Lac La Biche County Protective Services who are on the ground in the Northwest Territories have plenty of tools at their disposal. This includes a SPU-Type 2 trailer, which is capable of protecting upwards of 50 structures, along with a Type 6 Engine.
In recent years, firefighters from the Lac La Biche region have been deployed to other locations across Alberta and Western Canada.
“We were originally requested for our first deployment in 2016 and have had at least one deployment in each of the last seven years,” Kokotilo explained. “Previously, local firefighters have been requested in Fort McMurray, several parts of British Columbia including Pincher Creek, and Cache Creek, as well as High Level and La Ronge in Saskatchewan.”
