Acting Olds fire chief Scott Chant says there are good reasons local firefighters aren't out fighting the wildfires in B.C.
However, he says that may yet happen.
"I'd stay in touch," he said during an interview with the Albertan.
Chant says protocol demands that a formal government request be made for local firefighters to go fight those fires.
He says that request hasn't happened yet because the government wants to make sure that if that occurs, it's done in an orderly, co-ordinated, safe manner.
"We're not going to go freelance," he says. "We may get called, we don't know. They don't want it to be a free-for-all."
Besides, he says, Olds firefighters are not trained for that kind of firefighting. They're trained to fight fires in urban settings, not in mountainous terrain.
"The instinct is you want to go and help out but you could put yourself in more danger than not," he says. "It would be pretty cool to be flown in by helicopter and land in those forested areas, but we'd be totally out of our element."
Also, Chant points out the Olds Fire Department has an obligation to make sure it has enough personnel available to fight fires in Olds and with neighbouring fire departments throughout Mountain View County. That's the first priority.
However, should the province request help from the Olds Fire Department, Chant says they'll do their part.
At the suggestion of the Sundre Fire Department, a list has been put together of volunteer firefighters throughout Mountain View County who are ready and willing to respond to a request for assistance at any moment. A list of equipment available has been put together as well.
About two dozen firefighters in the region, along with one unit from each fire hall, have been identified as available.
- With files from Simon Ducatel, Sundre Round Up editor.
"It would be pretty cool to be flown in by helicopter and land in those forested areas, but we'd be totally out of our element."SCOTT CHANT ACTING OLDS FIRE CHIEF
