Canada Rejects International Assistance To Help Put Out Wildfire

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Canada Rejects International Assistance To Help Put Out Wildfires

Several countries have offered to help Canada deal with the devastating wildfire that is raging through Alberta and forcing tens of thousands to flee their homes.

The Canadian Prime Minister has rejected foreign assistance to help extinguish the flames, saying help from other countries was not necessary at this time.

On Thursday last week, Russia offered to provide heavy water bombers and specialized crews to help stop the uncontrollable inferno sweeping through Fort McMurray.

RT reports:

Other offers came from the US, Mexico, Australia, Taiwan, and Israel as well as from Palestinians.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that he truly appreciated the willingness of the international community to help, but stressed that there was no need for it as there are already water bombers and firefighters from several of the country’s provinces ready and available, for example Ontario and Quebec.

“The good news is from the support that we’ve seen from Canadians across the country, different provinces sending over water bombers, engaged in all sorts of different ways, firefighters coming from all across the country to help, is that there is no need to accept any international assistance at this point. But we certainly thank everyone for their generosity,” Trudeau said at a news conference in Ottawa, The Globe and Mail reported.

Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said Canadian authorities are moving closer towards getting the blaze under control and stressed that the one thing that is definitely going to resolve the crisis is a change in weather.

“The decision was made by the firefighters in the emergency management system that (foreign help) wasn’t necessary because of the nature of this blaze,” Goodale said as quoted by the Canadian Press. “This beast is so big the only thing that will fix it is rain.”

A lot of Canada’s residents are wondering why Trudeau had to reject help in a critical situation like this when there are as many as seven out-of-control fires raging through the territory, an RT journalist and foreign affairs analyst reported.

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