Andrew Buchanan, a firefighter based in Strathcona County, says he can’t talk long. Wildfires are moving quickly, and there’s no guarantee an alarm won’t sound while he’s on the line, drawing him back on the job.
It’s been a challenging wildfire season, said Buchanan, who is also the lead training officer for the Emergency Services Academy (ESA), which provides professional firefighting training.
The size of the fires are large, and when paired with a lack of moisture, the amount of dry fuel, the weather and the wind, conditions aren’t working in the favour of firefighters, he said.
“We definitely need more firefighters, for sure.
