Anxieties as new trainees, emergency staff prepare for possible evacuations, disasters
As Calvin Charles sprays water up and down a tree trunk, the force from the hose is strong enough to make its target sway.
It’s a clear, sunny day on the shores of Lac la Plonge in northern Saskatchewan, but in Charles’s mind, that tree is on fire.
“I grew up on the trapline and I’ve been around trees my whole life,” he said.
“When I see them burn, I don’t like that. The aspect of saving nature is really heartwarming.”
But it was saving homes and people that brought Charles and about two dozen others here for firefighting training put on by the Prince Albert Grand Council. Some are brand new to the craft while others, like Charles, have volunteered for years. After this training, he’ll be able to work seasonally as a firefighter based in the north.
Read More: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/first-nations-wildfire-fighting-2024-1.7187234