PEI

Island firefighters in Fort Mac expected home this weekend

Seven P.E.I. forest firefighters deployed to fight wildfires in the Fort McMurray area are expected to come home this weekend, according to provincial officials.

Officials say 7 firefighters could be home Saturday or Sunday

Seven P.E.I. forest firefighters who have been in Fort MacMurray for the past two weeks are expected home this weekend. (Darryl Dyck/Bloomberg)

After nearly two weeks helping with the fire efforts in Fort McMurray, seven P.E.I. forest firefighters are expected to come home this weekend, according to officials with the Forest, Fish and Wildlife department.

The firefighters left May 27 as part of a team from Newfoundland to help fight the fires.

The P.E.I. firefighters have been helping with the Horse River fire north of Fort McMurray.

Recently, they've been patrolling burned areas looking for smoke and hot spots.

With the fire situation improving and the weather being more cooperative, the firefighters are expected back either late Saturday or Sunday.

A provincial official deployed to Alberta to serve as an international liaison coordinating resource exchanges related to the fire fighting effort with Mexico and South Africa is back on the Island.

With files from Angela Walker