In June of 2025, the Fredericton Fire Department announced a newly retrofitted fire engine specifically setup for fighting brush and wildland fires. The demand for combatting outdoor fires is a direct response to a 65% increase in outdoor fires in Fredericton over the past four years. Dwayne Killingbeck, the Fredericton Fire Department’s Fire Chief, explained that outdoor fires can often start brush fires, which can get out of control and become forest fires. Chief Killingbeck speculated that this increase in outdoor fires was likely because of more demand for fires by people living in Fredericton, whether for warmth, cooking, or entertainment. The Fredericton Fire Department has also seen increased demand for wildland fire fighting capability after Fredericton redrew its borders a few years ago, meaning that previously rural communities serviced by provincial firefighters now fall under the jurisdiction of the Fredericton Fire Department. The newly retrofitted truck had any equipment used exclusively for urban fires removed and now boasts an expanded 1000 gallon water tank.
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