Trudeau promising to spend $500 million for training and new equipment for firefighters

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau is promising to spend half-a-billion dollars for training and new equipment for firefighters in advance of next year's forest fire season.

Trudeau says Canada's forest fire fighting capabilities must be enhanced to confront stronger wildfires.

Trudeau made the announcement in Vancouver, as more than 260 wildfires burn across British Columbia.

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau is promising creation of a community-based force to fight wildfires, if his government is re-elected in the September 20th federal election.

Trudeau made the pledge this morning during a campaign stop in downtown Vancouver, saying a Liberal government would fund training for one-thousand new firefighters and pay for the equipment needed to fight the impacts of climate change.

Trudeau says it is time to act because the country is in a climate emergency and the safety and security of Canadians is at stake.

Climate action organization 350 Canada calls Trudeau's promise ``ridiculous,'' saying he is promising money to fight wildfires ``while stoking those same fires with fossil fuel expansion.''