Carla Qualtrough

The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) will receive close to $1.5 million in federal funding to support the standardization of first response teams, Minister of Public Services and Procurement Carla Qualtrough announced Tuesday afternoon. “This project will provide the tools and training our search and rescue agencies need to better work together when they respond to fires anywhere in Canada,” Qualtrough said, speaking on behalf of Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Ralph Goodale. The CIFFC is responsible for coordinating wildland fire-control services for all of the provinces, territories and the federal fire management agencies. It also often coordinates the sharing of resources with the United States and other countries.