Ontario minister pledges better communication during wildfire season

Ontario's Natural Resources Minister, Mike Harris, has pledged to improve communication during wildfire season. The province plans to invest over $20 million to upgrade two major wildfire attack bases in northwestern Ontario. Harris's pledge comes in response to criticism from First Nations communities who felt they were either warned late or not at all about the wildfires that ravaged their lands in July.

These fires led to the evacuation of more than a dozen communities, many of which were remote First Nations. While Harris has not committed to fulfilling the call for a public inquiry into the province's response to the wildfires, the minister is determined to enhance communication with affected communities. The annual subscription for wildfire communication services is billed at $205.00 + GST for one year, with automatic renewal at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks.