A plane from Newfoundland and Labrador flies over the Lake George wildfire near Aylesford, N.S. in this Friday, Oct. 3, 2025 photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Province of Nova Scotia (Mandatory Credit)
A plane from Newfoundland and Labrador flies over the Lake George wildfire near Aylesford, N.S. in this Friday, Oct. 3, 2025 photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Province of Nova Scotia (Mandatory Credit)
OTTAWA - A group of wildfire evacuees, volunteer firefighters and Indigenous wildfire guardians is in Ottawa this week calling on the federal government to do more to prevent seasonal wildfires.
This year's wildfire season, the second-worst on record, saw nearly 9 million hectares consumed — larger than the area of New Brunswick and P.E.I. combined and more than double the 10-year average.
The delegation will meet with MPs to press for the restoration of federal funding for equipment and training, and investments in clean energy to address climate change.
Ottawa pledged $300 million in 2022 to help provinces, territories and First Nations buy firefighting equipment.
It promised another $39 million to train 1,000 new community-based firefighters.
While the funding was supposed to last five years, the delegation says the money has run out and the government isn't accepting any more applications.
This report by ´ºÉ«Ö±²¥was first published Oct. 22, 2025.