Ottawa Working to Prevent Further Wildfire Tragedy After Deaths: Environment Minister

Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault lresponds to a question during a news conference, in Ottawa, on June 14, 2023. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)

Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault says the federal government is doing everything it can to prevent further tragedy after wildfires claimed three lives last week.

Carter Vigh, a nine-year-old boy from British Columbia, died last week after an asthma attack that is believed to have been exacerbated by wildfire smoke.

Adam Yeadon, 25, also died last week while fighting a wildfire near Fort Liard, N.W.T. Family members have said he was injured by a tree, but officials have not yet provided details about what happened.

Two days earlier, firefighter Devyn Gale, 19, died after a tree fell on her near Revelstoke, B.C. Her death is now under investigation by police, the BC Coroners Service, WorkSafeBC and the BC Wildfire Service.

And on Thursday, the Transportation Safety Board said a helicopter involved in firefighting operations has crashed in northwestern Alberta.

The agency said investigators were headed to the scene near Peace River.

This wildfire season has been worst in recorded history, with thousands of fires scorching more than 110,000 square kilometres of land across the country so far.

More than 885 wildfires are currently burning, 600 of which Guilbeault says are out of control.

Guilbeault says Ottawa has spent more than $65 million since 2021 on the National Wildfire Management Program at Parks Canada, which supports wildfire risk reduction and the hiring and training of specialists.