Graydon Smith, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, October 12, 2023

The province is bolstering Ontario’s forest fire fighting efforts.

Natural Resources Minister Graydon Smith says more than 20 million dollars will be added to this year’s budget.

“Continuing to invest in Ontario’s Wildland Fire Program will allow us to be even better prepared to withstand wildland fire emergencies in the future and will help us continue to be able to keep people and property safe,” says Smith.

With the funding, the Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services will look at investing in new aerial fire suppression technologies, including drones.

The AFFES will also be enhancing its recruitment and training efforts.

The government also intends to strike a number of research agreements with universities and institutions to better understand the science behind wildland fire management, improve the knowledge of fire behaviour, and create new ways to support prevention and response efforts.

“As we continue to ensure Ontario remains again that internationally recognized jurisdiction in wildland fire management, we will continue to make the necessary investments to keep Fire Rangers and our communities safe here in the north.

The funding comes on the heels of a fire season that has seen over 700 blazes, burning more than 420 thousand hectares.

The fire season officially ends on October 31.