The provincial government has placed new heat-sensing cameras on all 42 of its fire-towers.

The plan was announced last year, as part of the government’s decision to let go of 38 seasonal workers who used to man the structures.

Steve Roberts directs wildfire management for the province.

He explains that at least one of those workers has accepted a position at the Prince Albert Fire-base where he will view the images coming in from the monitors.

He explains a total of three people will work in the new observation room while a fourth has been hired to do maintenance:

“They can monitor multiple cameras and switch back and forth between towers regardless of where they are in the province from the central location here so all those monitors, all those cameras are in a single large-room here in our facility.”

He says some training still has to be done but they will be ready for the start of the fire season.