Canada and US Expand Agreement to Help Each Other Fight Wildfires

The Chronicle Journal reported on Thursday (6-22-23) that Canada and the United States have agreed to replace an outdated and inefficient “ad hoc” approach to helping each other battle forest fires with a new formal agreement. The new agreement spells out how both countries can share resources and expertise more efficiently.

The new agreement comes as Canada continues to face a record-setting fire season, with more than 63,000 square kilometers (15.58 million acres) of land burned so far this year. Currently there are several thousands of international firefighters from at least nine different countries working with Canadian firefighters to control wildfires across the country.

On Thursday, the US Ambassador to Canada David Cohen and Canadian Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) outlining the process both parties must follow to request and send resources. The MOU also promises that the two countries will cooperate on technology, training, and research given that climate change is increasing the risk of wildfires.

Ambassador Cohen noted that more than 1,500 US firefighters have come north so far this year to help Canada fight wildfires.

The new agreement includes a list of all organizations that would cooperate, including the organization or department in each province responsible for fighting wildfires, as well as multiple national departments. Those include the US National Park Service, Parks Canada, the Canadian Forest Service, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service.

According to The Chronicle Journal, Ambassador Cohen said he thinks laying out that list is the most critical part of the agreement, and it spells out “that there is a will here to help.” Although he added, “That has never been the issue.”