Canadian Firefighters Join Fight to Contain Southern California Wildfires

Canada’s Emergency Preparedness Minister Harjit Sajjan said on Sunday that dozens of firefighters from Alberta and British Columbia will help fight wildfires in California, and the federal government is coordinating efforts with the provinces to deploy resources, The Canadian Press reported (1-12-25).

Sajjan said in a social media post that 60 firefighters from the two provinces will be deployed as soon as Monday, and that Canadian officials are working to identify and prepare more resources to send in the days ahead.

Alberta announced last week that it is sending up to 40 wildland firefighters with more personnel, waterbombers, and contracted night-vision helicopters ready to deploy.

BC’s forests minister has said a crew from the province’s wildfire service left for California on Saturday to help battle the wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area.

Quebec said Friday it will send two more firefighting aircraft to California, a day after one of the province’s waterbombers collided with a drone while battling the wildfires. The Canadian-made CL-415 was one of the province’s two planes that was already helping in the wildfire.