B.C. and Alberta Firefighters Deploy to California as Wildfires Rage

Emergency Preparedness Minister Harjit Sajjan announced that dozens of Canadian firefighters from British Columbia and Alberta are headed to California to assist in battling severe wildfires devastating the region.

Sajjan confirmed that 60 firefighters will begin deployment on Monday, with additional resources being identified for potential future support.

“Our American friends have asked for help to fight the wildfires in California, and Team Canada is responding,” Sajjan said on social media. “Neighbours helping neighbours.”

The federal government is collaborating with provincial teams to coordinate Canada’s response.

B.C. and Alberta Contributions

B.C.’s Wildfire Service sent a crew on Saturday to assist in managing fires ravaging the Los Angeles area.

Meanwhile, Alberta’s Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen announced that the province is deploying 40 trained Type 1 wildland firefighters, with additional personnel, incident command teams, water bombers, and night-vision helicopters on standby.

“This team is trained and experienced to handle these challenging conditions,” Loewen said. “We are prepared to send more resources if requested.”

Quebec Aircraft in Action

Quebec has also contributed, dispatching two firefighting aircraft to California. The province’s CL-415 waterbombers, which have been assisting annually for over 30 years, are playing a critical role.

One of Quebec’s planes collided with a drone last week during operations, but additional planes and crews have since joined the effort.

Crisis in California

As of Sunday afternoon, wildfires in California have claimed at least 24 lives and forced over 150,000 residents of Los Angeles County to evacuate.

Canadian aid arrives as part of a long-standing partnership between the countries to share resources during wildfire seasons. Both Sajjan and Loewen emphasized the importance of international cooperation in combating natural disasters.

“This is an opportunity to reaffirm the strength of our partnership with the U.S.,” Sajjan said.

With wildfires showing no sign of abating, Canadian teams will be crucial in reinforcing efforts to contain the devastation and protect lives.