TORONTO - Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale meets today in Toronto with provincial ministers responsible for emergency preparedness.

The meeting was planned before wildfires in northern Alberta forced a massive evacuation of Fort McMurray involving tens of thousands of people.

But Goodale notes the irony of the timing and the fact it's emergency preparedness week in Canada.

The ministers will talk about ways of strengthening how Canadian officials are prepared to deal with emergencies.

Goodale says this week's wildfire disaster provides a "powerful case study" for today's discussions.