'A fun little guy': This arson dog is the newest member of the Moncton Fire Department

The Moncton Fire Department recently hired a new member, but they don't expect him to get cats out of trees anytime soon.

Kernel is a two-year-old labrador retriever who works alongside Deputy Chief Charles LeBlanc.

The certified accelerant detection canine, or arson dog, received 200 hours of training at a fire prevention academy in New Hampshire.

LeBlanc who has been working with dogs for a big part of his career.

The duo help fire investigators and police from all over the Maritimes determine causes of suspicious fires.

"Basically what he does is find ignitable liquids in a fire scene," says LeBlanc. "Our mandate is very simple. We assist investigators in determining the best location to obtain a sample and for that sample to come back with a higher probability of coming back positive from a laboratory.”

However, Kernel isn’t is a traditional fire hall dog spending his days at the station. Instead, LeBlanc takes care of Kernel around the clock.

“It takes a lot of your time. It’s a 365 days a year commitment. Kernel is a food reward dog. He always has to eat out of the hands of his handler, which is me," he says.

LeBlanc has two other labrador retrievers at home including Kernel’s predecessor Magic who recently retired after 10 years on the job.

"The best thing about Kernel is he’s just a fun little guy. He’s quirky, but he’s very much a daddy’s boy right now," says LeBlanc.