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2026 Wildfire Season

Defense miniser says CAF is ready if asked for support, im surprised the province hasn't asked for federal assistance yet

Note that BC has the following Type 1 firefighters imported:
300 - Mexico
100 - Costa Rica
185 - Alberta
80? - Quebec

Under BCWS policy Type 1 firefighters are needed to establish the initial wildfire perimeter control included danger tree work. Follow up crews - Type 2 Contract and Type 3 contract are limited on what parts of a fire they can operate on.

CAF members are normally considered Type 3 crews due to the lack of training they receive. So less call for the CAF when the international resources - who haven't always been available in recent years - can fill the gap.

There is also a significant Australian, New Zealand and for the first time Mexico overhead staff assisting internationally. Australia and New Zealand also have 250? staff split between crews and overhead in the US.

CIFFC gives a sense of who is where. Alberta, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, some Quebec and Yukon resources are still in Ontario plus 100 Mexican fire fighters.
 

Seems like Doug Ford read the email I sent him.



Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the country needs at least 60 new water bombers to build a national fleet to combat wildfires as part of a Canada-wide wildfire strategy.

Mr. Ford made the comments on Monday during a speech at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario’s annual conference in Ottawa. He told municipal leaders that Prime Minister Mark Carney and the premiers recently talked about the need for a national strategy.

“We need to go out there and buy at least 60 fire bombers because they take a long time to build,” he said.

“But we need to all collaborate, put them right across the country from coast to coast to coast, starting in B.C. and all the way out to the East Coast and everything in between.”
 

Seems like Doug Ford read the email I sent him.
Sure, that's water bombers Ontario doesn't have to buy. Provinces may have placed orders but the article makes it sound like their agents are in Calgary kicking tires on the DHC lot and looking at paint options.
 
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