Yukon First Nations Wildfire

It’s been a mild wildfire season in the Yukon so when Canadian provinces needed additional resources to fight wildfires, Yukon First Nations Wildfire was ready to go. But according to CEO Nick Mauro, the call never came. “Our crews are standing by and ready to go,” Mauro said. “However we’ve been advised that the Yukon government currently does not have the capacity to send our crews south to assist.” Mauro said the situation is frustrating, wondering why other jurisdictions are bringing in international help when he and his crews are available. Mauro said it’s not a bad thing that international crews are coming to help, but said while that’s happening essential local resources are being ignored. “The reality is that the wildfire system that we currently operate in Canada wasn’t made for the transfer of indigenous resources,” Mauro explained. “It’s meant to transfer government resources, and get governments to help each other.”