Nova Scotia aims to build wildland firefighter reserve

N.S. looks to recruit firefighters ahead of summer Nova Scotia is looking to recruit firefighters ahead of the summer and another potential wildfire season.

After Nova Scotia's record wildfire season, the province is looking to build its reserve of wildland firefighters in case these fires become more common, which some predict could happen.

More than 25,000 hectares of land burned during last year's wildfire season in Nova Scotia and it exhausted the province's wildfire resources and extra help was needed from across the country and beyond.

"Normally we have more than sufficient numbers to handle wildfires in this province and last year of course was quite extreme and we called in extra help and so we are just getting prepared for that," said Jim Rudderham, director of fleet and force protection with the Department of Natural Resources and Renewables.

At one point, the largest fire in the Barrington Lake area and the other in the Upper Tantallon area burned simultaneously out of control and forced thousands to leave their homes.

The province's DNRR team of 300 or more forestry workers were all hands on deck said Rudderham, working along with firefighters from other departments, to try and save properties and other infrastructure.

Ruderham said the province is now looking to recruit active members of the Fire Service Association of Nova Scotia and build a reserve of wildland firefighters.

"We're going to get ahead of the curve and prepare for this now and have a group ready who are all ready to go should the need come again," said Rudderham.

Shelburne Fire Chief Darrell Locke says the recruitment call is the right thing to do, suggesting it's best to prepare for the worst.

"We learned that it can happen in Nova Scotia," said Locke. "These out west and northern Ontario-type fires are on our doorstep and we have to be better prepared for them."

The deadline for applications is Friday, March 1.

For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.