Susan Holt

FREDERICTON – New Brunswick’s government kicked off wildfire season earlier than usual on Wednesday as it announced millions of dollars in spending to improve its preparedness ahead of what’s expected to be another dry summer. The province will spend $6.7 million to increase the number of year-round firefighting forest rangers to 169, up from 95. It’s also allocated $3 million to secure availability for four Fire Boss specialized water-scooping aircraft. Premier Susan Holt said the government learned from a “scary and stressful time” last year after hundreds of fires burned more than 30 square kilometres of land to give the province its worst wildfire season in decades, according to government figures. As Holt announced the start to wildfire season, which typically begins in the third week of April, she said she wanted to calm public anxiety ahead of this summer.