Breaking: Biden sending fire fighting assets to help extinguish Quebec wildfires.

[babylonsister]

Breaking: Biden sending fire fighting assets to help extinguish Quebec wildfires.
Thursday, June 08, 2023 at 9:40:05a EDT


Scripps news service:

President Joe Biden pledged additional help for Canada as wildfires fume, especially in Quebec, causing unhealthy air quality levels throughout much of the Eastern U.S.

In a readout of a call between President Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the president “directed his team to deploy all available Federal firefighting assets that can rapidly assist in suppressing fires impacting Canadian and American communities.”

The White House said 600 firefighters and support personnel have been sent to Canada.

Vedant Patel, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, said the over 600 personnel came from the U.S. Forest Service and the Department of the Interior. He said this is in addition to several states sending help to Canada.

“The U.S. is supporting Canada as it faces extreme wildfires, which based on our assessments is on track to be one of the largest natural disasters in Canadian history,” Patel said.

more...

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/6/8/2174036/-Breaking-Biden-sending-fire-fighting-assets-to-help-extinguish-Quebec-wildfires

[Dawson Leery]

1. kick

[bucolic_frolic]

2. Go Joe!

[Phoenix61]

3. Years ago I was friends with a fire jumper.

Completely surprised me. He was this very laid back, quiet guy. Didn’t seem like the type to jump out of a helicopter and rappel down a cliff to put out a fire. He sure had some stories to tell:

[PufPuf23]

21. Smoke jumpers parachute out of fixed wing aircraft, not helicopters.

That said, helicopters are used to transport firefighters and equipment and drop water.

They do have stories to tell.

[Phoenix61]

22. I assumed it was a helicopter. Parachuting is even worse. nt

[PufPuf23]

23. Brave and fit firefighters smoke jump. It is a brotherhood.

Worked for the USFS from 1969 to 1985, live in a National Forest now.

Only was a fire fighter when everyone went when young and in later years worked in plans and or as a National Guard liaison for several large fires but otherwise was unlikely to be sent because of normal job.

Now old and infirm. The last three Summers were spent in smoke. At the local medical clinic this AM was given an air purifier, already had one, but this new one connects to wiki and the data will be gathered for air quality studies. I asked if they were planning to check on my pot use. 😎 Have several pages of small print to read and then a form to sign. This is optional and get the air purifier in any case. Plan on signing without reading.

[sheshe2]

4. Recommend

[durablend]

5. What a real president does

TFG would've sent a bunch of rakes from the local hardware store.

[erronis]

16. Dumped them out of his AF-1 and complained that they didn't sweep their forests well.

Maybe a few cases of coca-cola-rot-your-teeth for those valiant firefighters on the ground.
(I was working on super-absorbent tissues but didn't want to go there.)

[RAB910]

6. What bothers me, is on the news today I heard Canada had 500 something firefighters dealing with the

400 fires in Quebec. That doesn't seem like nearly enough. Canada should have activated all resources available include its military.

[LisaM]

7. Canada has a smaller population than California and

There are also fires going in Alberta and Nova Scotia, so they may be tapped out.

[Spazito]

11. There are fires in BC, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia...

so we have thousands of firefighters dealing with the fires including our military. We appreciate the help from Americans just as Americans appreciated our help during the California fires in 2020. We help each other, that's what we do.

[erronis]

17. Thanks, Spazito. That's exactly what we should all be doing.

Fires and other acts of nature don't give a shit about those dotted lines on maps - national boundaries.

When our neighbors are in dangers, we should all pitch in. Even on the other side of the world.

[Spazito]

20. Yes, when it counts we are all in it together...

and need to help out if we can. Canada and the US has had a very close relationship when it comes to helping each other and it's something for us all to be proud of, imo.

[boston bean]

8. Why thank you!

[tanyev]

9. I can just imagine Trump refusing and taunting Canada about it.

[republianmushroom]

10. We don't extinguish them, you try to control them. Mother nature extinguishes them.

[wnylib]

12. I'm sure that Canada appreciates the assistance.

I know that NYers do.

Thank you President Joe.

[dchill]

13. Seems like a good and wise move.

Especially to someone in south central PA. Plus I'm sure they need the help in Canada.

[Hekate]

14. I am so glad to read this

Best of luck all around

[KS Toronado]

15. Shame Pat Robertson isn't around anymore to pray for rain.

We know his thoughts & prayers always worked.

[erronis]

19. Boy. That evil person may become the next Godwin's Law target

I can think of hundreds, thousands of stuff that I could assign to Robertson and all of his ilk.

While Hitler has not disappeared from our consciousness, Robertson may be alongside.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin%27s_law

[applegrove]

18. Thank you Biden. Problem is we've got rules as to how many hours the pilots

of the water bombers can fly. And many have hit their max this week. So we appreciate any water bombers pilots you got.