2023 N.W.T. wildfire season reveals severe firefighter shortage, 34,000 sq km burned, 19 communities evacuated.
A new report by the Northwest Territories (N.W.T.) government reveals a severe shortage of firefighters, equipment, information, and communication during the 2023 wildfire season. The N.W.T. experienced a significant forest fire burning 34,000 square kilometers, causing 19 communities, including the territorial capital Yellowknife, to be evacuated. The report found the number of firefighters had been decreasing annually since 1991, and those available were often poorly trained. The government has already taken measures to increase its firefighting force, install new weather stations, and update its wildfire modeling technology.
August 28, 2024
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