Natural Resources Department recruiting for upcoming N.S. wildfire season

The Department of Natural Resources and Renewables is recruiting volunteer firefighters for the upcoming wildfire season.

Through the Fire Service Association of Nova Scotia, the department is seeking qualified applicants to its emergency firefighter reserve.

Applicants must be a current member of a municipal fire department, able to commit to a seven- to 10-day deployment in a camp setting, have DNRR-approved training in wildland firefighting and be able to complete a medium-level pack test (walk two miles wearing a 25-pound weighted vest in under 30 minutes).

Applicants must also come with their equipment, including fire-retardant overalls, steel-toed boots and helmet.

“It’s dirty, hot, grinding, smoking work,” said Jim Rudderham, director of fleet and force protection for the department.

“It’s a lot of walking, pushing hose, digging around looking for hotspots and putting them out. It’s tedious and meticulous work.”

Those hired will be provincial government civil servants for the duration of their deployment and paid at the starting rate of entry-level DNRR wildland firefighters ($23.50 an hour) and be expected to work 12-hour shifts.

The department began the program when wildfires spread across this province last spring, taxing their 300 career wildland firefighters and volunteer departments near the fires.

While 100 people applied for the work, DNRR hired and deployed 24.

“Our crews started timing out, so it worked well,” said Rudderham.

This year they are looking to have a reserve of wildland firefighters ready for when wildfire season starts.

“We absolutely don’t know the need at this point, but we’re hoping it will be zero,” said Rudderham.

Deadline for applications is March 1.Those seeking to apply can do so online.

Large storms have meant there are still significant amounts of wood on the ground in parts of Nova Scotia. This adds to the wildfire risk and poses difficulties to firefighters by blocking routes through the forest.

Most of the small branches, leaves and needles known as fine fuels that drive the spread of a hot fire will have decomposed by the spring.

“Each year that passes, (the downed wood from post-tropical storm Fiona in 2022) poses less of a fire risk,” said Rudderham.