Canada's fallen firefighters honoured at ceremony in Ottawa

The 20th annual Canadian Firefighters Memorial Ceremony was held on Sunday at Lebreton Flats in Ottawa, honouring 86 Firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice. 

The names of 86 firefighters were read out during the ceremony,  81 of those honoured died from occupational illnesses.

Patricia Hill and her twin boys were there to remember a husband and a father taken too soon. A member of the Ottawa Fire Service, Patricia’s husband, Ryan Hill, one of the many in Canada lost to diseases linked to exposure to the toxic environment fires create.

"He was 37 when he passed away and it still has not set in that he’s gone and so today seeing it, it just makes it a little bit more real that he’s gone," Hill said. "My husband was diagnosed with Grade Four glioblastoma, which is a brain cancer. He was on the job six weeks shy of the 10-year presumptive cancer, he had no symptoms before."

A Canadian made CL415 Water Bomber flew over the event, reminding those attending of the more than 15 million hectares burned by wildfires across the country this year, doubling the previous record.

This year has been deadly for those protecting communities in fire-ravaged regions; so far, four firefighters have lost their lives combatting Canada’s wildfires. Eighty per cent of firefighters across Canada are volunteers.

Sherry Romanado, the Deputy Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, highlighting a federal government fund devoted to fighting wildfires amidst climate change, providing $256 million to the provinces and territories. The funds will help provide specialized training to firefighters and expand their skills and capabilities, Romanado said.

"We are still fighting fires across Canada an unfortunate impact is that exposure," Romanado said. "We expect to see more illness amongst the firefighters who are responding, we are going to need to make sure folks are supported and taken care of."

Patricia Hill and her sons at the Canadian Firefighters Memorial Ceremony in Ottawa on Sunday. Hill's husband, Ryan Hill, was one of the 81 firefighters honoured who died from occupational illness. (Shaun Vardon/CTV News Ottawa)

Paul Hutt, Ottawa’s Fire Chief, says the fire service is proud to host this important event. This year three Ottawa firefighters being honoured.

"It’s really a day to pause and reflect on and supporting the families of members who have lost their lives this year," Hutt said. "It’s just a reminder that we have to continue to look after our firefighters from a health and safety perspective."

For Patricia Hill, events like this help highlight the need for support for those protecting lives and properties across the country

"It’s just heart-wrenching to see how many firefighters passed away from either on the job or with occupational illness."