New Brunswick firefighters and businesses, including seafood giant Cooke Aquaculture, are stepping up to assist California in battling catastrophic wildfires.
Following a national call for aid from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre late Friday, 23 firefighters from New Brunswick had completed mandatory fitness tests by Sunday afternoon and are prepared to deploy.
“We were asked, our team responded, and they are poised to go as soon as we receive the call,” said Natural Resources Minister John Herron. “When neighbours are in trouble, you help. I am impressed with everyone’s willingness to step up and how quickly this all came together over the weekend.”
Corporate Support for Transportation
Several New Brunswick businesses have offered logistical support, including transportation for the firefighting contingent. Cooke Aquaculture, a major employer in the province’s seafood industry, joined J.D. Irving, Limited, and Ocean Capital in contributing resources to assist with deployment.
“Those who serve as first responders are truly heroic,” said Glenn Cooke, CEO of Cooke Aquaculture. “As a New Brunswick family company, we’re honoured to support their commitment to safety and willingness to jump into action to help Californians.”
John Irving, president of Ocean Capital, echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the importance of supporting communities in crisis. “When called upon, we promptly agreed to help fight the fires. It is our duty to support our neighbours during this challenging time, and our thoughts are with everyone affected,” he said.
Jim Irving, co-CEO of J.D. Irving, Limited, confirmed the company is prepared to contribute two planes to the effort, stating, “Being a good neighbour is top of the list. We’re always happy to do what we can to help in times of crisis.”
Experienced Firefighters Ready to Deploy
New Brunswick’s wildfire management branch director, Troy Adams, highlighted the expertise and readiness of the team. “New Brunswick has highly trained and experienced wildland firefighters and overhead personnel, and we are ready to deploy quickly as part of an Atlantic contingent.”
The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, which coordinates mutual aid and resource sharing among federal, provincial, and territorial agencies, oversaw the deployment of 144 New Brunswick wildfire team members last year.
