Deh Cho MLA Ron Bonnetrouge is seeking an investigation into the response to the catastrophic wildfire that struck Enterprise earlier this month.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think my big concern there is the lead time leading up to the fire,SA国际影视传媒� he said during an emergency meeting of the legislative assembly on Monday, Aug. 28. SA国际影视传媒淏ecause they were in the middle of a festival (the Gateway Jamboree) SA国际影视传媒� Friday, Saturday and Sunday (residents) were out (celebrating). I believe the department had advanced knowledge of the fire and it wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 relayed to anyone, not even to me, not even to the residents of Enterprise.SA国际影视传媒�

Bonnetrouge said he realizes it was high winds that quickly escalated the fire danger.

There didnSA国际影视传媒檛 appear to be any GNWT fire crews in the community of close to 100 people, he said. He added that some residents took it upon themselves to attempt to suppress flare-ups from the blaze.

SA国际影视传媒淚 feel for those people that lost their homes, their businesses. Oh my god, itSA国际影视传媒檚 devastating,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Bonnetrouge was perplexed why the situation unfolded in such a manner.

SA国际影视传媒淗ow did we let that happen? In the past we had people that manned the fire towers and ENR (Environment and Natural Resources) at that time, they did away with them, saying, SA国际影视传媒榃ell, weSA国际影视传媒檝e got satellites.SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒�

He questioned if a person staffing a fire tower would have been more effective than a satellite in this instance.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think that will haunt me for the rest of my life,SA国际影视传媒� said the Deh Cho MLA, who counts Enterprise among the communities in his constituency. SA国际影视传媒淲hat happened? Where were the crews? Why was no advance warning given?SA国际影视传媒�

Although Bonnetrouge was seeking answers from the minister of Environment and Climate Change (ECC), Shane Thompson, the floor was turned over to Finance Minister Caroline Wawzonek since Bonnetrouge mentioned that the costs to rebuild are relevant to territorial budget discussions.

SA国际影视传媒淭he very specific details of firefighting efforts are really not something that weSA国际影视传媒檙e in a position to answer to today,SA国际影视传媒� said Wawzonek. SA国际影视传媒淲e were all, I think, affected by watching one of the communities of the Northwest Territories be so decimated by a wildfire and at the same time, multiple communities being then so urgently removed.

SA国际影视传媒淚 heard it described to me, when that fire moved almost 40 km in a day, senior members of the firefighting team described it as a nightmare. They were outright shell-shocked,SA国际影视传媒� she added.

Wawzonek declined to refer the question to the ECC minister because she said another forum would be better suited to allow for fulsome discussion and an opportunity for question and debate, whereas Monday was dedicated to tackling costs.

SA国际影视传媒淚 know people will be frustrated that this is not today but today is really about making sure those firefighters who are still fighting those fires have the resources to do so,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Bonnetrouge expressed his disappointment that Thompson did not respond to his questions. He also reiterated that it would be worthwhile to examine whether resuming the use of fire towers to give advanced warnings is still useful.

SA国际影视传媒淪omebody from a tower would have seen that fire really moving. Why didnSA国际影视传媒檛 we fight it ASAP?SA国际影视传媒� he asked.

He also served notice that he plans to raise the issue again during the next sitting of the legislative assembly.

READ MORE: Enterprise levelled by raging wildfire