Mr. Speaker, I rise to participate in this very important emergency debate, but before I address the urgent matter at hand, as this is the first time I have had the opportunity to speak in this new Parliament, I want to thank the residents of St. Albert—Sturgeon River for placing their trust and confidence in me. I would also like to thank all the many dedicated volunteers who worked so hard on my campaign and indeed all the volunteers who worked on all the campaigns in my riding. Volunteers play such an integral role in the service of our democracy.
In this Parliament, I look forward to continuing to represent the city of St. Albert and the many communities I now have the privilege of representing in this newly drawn riding. I pledge to the residents of St. Albert—Sturgeon River that I will do everything I can to be a strong and effective voice on their behalf in the House of Commons.
The wildfire situation across Canada, particularly in western Canada, is dangerous. It is very serious. We have seen more than a million and a half hectares burn. We have seen tens of thousands of people evacuated. Homes and property have been damaged and destroyed. Entire communities are at risk. The intensity of the fires is so strong that the smoke can be felt and has impacted places as far away as the United Kingdom and Florida.
I want to join colleagues in expressing my sympathy and concern for the thousands upon thousands of Canadians who are impacted by these wildfires. I would also like to extend my sincere thanks and gratitude to all the firefighters, first responders, members of the Canadian Armed Forces, members of law enforcement, volunteers, and members of communities who are stepping up and working tirelessly in often very difficult and dangerous environments to save lives, to save property and infrastructure and to assist impacted communities.
Let me say that this has been a devastating wildfire season, and it has been felt in my riding of St. Albert—Sturgeon River. On May 3, a fire was ignited in the Redwater Provincial Recreation Area in Sturgeon County due to an apparent mechanical or electric failure of an all-terrain vehicle. Due to dry and windy conditions, the fire quickly spread, engulfing more than 3,200 hectares. More than 70 homes were evacuated, and the situation on the ground was very dangerous and very volatile.
Indeed, there was the real risk of catastrophe, with the fire being proximate to Alberta's industrial heartland, which is the largest hydrocarbon processing area in the country. There was a real risk that the fire would spread to the town of Redwater, a community of 2,100 residents. In the face of this very serious situation, what we saw in the way of the response to the wildfire were acts of courage from residents, leadership from local officials from the province, and neighbours and communities coming together to lend a helping hand.
In that regard, I wish to join the mayor of Sturgeon County, Alanna Hnatiw, in thanking the Sturgeon County Emergency Services team; the provincial wildfire resource branch; the provincial ministries of forestry, transportation and parks; the RCMP; many community members; and the neighbouring counties of Parkland, Lamont, Strathcona and Fort Hills, for their efforts in combatting the fire, as well as lending resources, personnel and equipment. I would also like to acknowledge the Sturgeon Regional Emergency Management Partnership, which includes Sturgeon County, as well as the towns of Morinville, Redwater, Gibbons, Bon Accord and Legal, for its vital emergency response coordination efforts. As a result of all of those efforts, the fire, after nearly a month, was finally contained as of May 30, and lives, livestock, residents and businesses have been saved.
Although catastrophe was averted, make no mistake about it, the impact of this wildfire on residents in eastern Sturgeon County has been devastating. In these days, there are residents who are literally sifting through the ashes. People lost their homes. They have lost livestock and pets. Valuable property was damaged and destroyed, and treasured recreation areas were lost. While the wildfire has been contained, for those who have been impacted, the road to rebuilding has just begun. I pledge to those impacted residents that I will do everything I can, working with my provincial and municipal colleagues, to ensure that they receive the support and resources they need and deserve as they begin the process of rebuilding.
With respect to the wildfires that are raging, out of control, across Canada, and in the face of recent disasters, including the Jasper wildfire, all of these things ought to constitute a five-alarm wake-up call for the government. The fact is that we have seen a deterioration in fire and emergency services across Canada. There are real issues with respect to personnel and resources. There are issues with respect to equipment and coordination, and we have seen from the government a misguided and ideological approach in its opposition to preventative measures, such as prescribed burns, which resulted in the tinderbox that was Jasper National Park, and that led to a fire that was likely preventable. Certainly, a fire of that scale was preventable. It would not have happened but for the mismanagement and incompetence of the government. When it comes to fire prevention and preparedness, the government has a lot of work to do.