P.E.I. firefighters leaving for Alberta to help wildfire efforts

Five Island forest firefighters leave for Alberta this weekend to help with a growing wildfire situation.

Three members will join a wildfire crew from New Brunswick.

The other two are serving as a fire information officer and a strike-force leader. They will be assigned once they arrive in Alberta.

"We are pleased to be able to help Alberta combat these serious wildfires in their time of need," said Brad Trivers, P.E.I.'s minister of environment, water and climate change.

Staff deployed to Alberta will gain skills that could be needed if P.E.I. faces serious wildfires in the future, the release said.

P.E.I. has had a wet spring and the long-range forecast indicates a continuation of mild temperatures and rain over the next few weeks.

Trivers said in the releasethat the majority of the Island's forest firefighters are still in the province should conditions change.

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