BC Wildfire calling in more international assistance for B.C. Wildfires

| August 6, 2017 in Provincial

Local Community Advertising

With no relief in sight in the weather forecast, B.C.'s wildfire emergency is expected to continue over the next few weeks.

To ensure that adequate resources are available to continue the fight, more international personnel are on the way.

"Given the unprecedented nature of the B.C. wildfires, we appreciate the assistance our international partners are able to provide," says Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests and Lands.

Over the next week, more than 400 firefighting staff from New Zealand, Australia, Mexico and the United States will join the over 3,800 personnel currently working throughout the province to respond to the ongoing wildfire situation in B.C.

This will be a mix of specialized support staff, including incident management teams, and highly trained and experienced wildland firefighting crews.

They will join over 3,150 personnel from B.C., including more than 1,450 contract personnel, and more than 630 other out-of-province personnel.

These firefighters are trained to the standards of the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. The cost of bringing in the international personnel will be covered by the Province of B.C.

Local Community Advertising

Trending Stories

UPDATE: Missing 29-year-old woman found, BC RCMP say

Spring jolt for Kelowna real estate sales and prices

Special weather statement issued for BC Interior highways

Your Voice: Why hasn't BC looked at mobile home parks to solve the housing crisis?

BC man wants homes for thousands of books he soon won't be able to read

Police investigating trio of shootings in Kamloops

Tom Dyas: We need to come to terms with the fact that Kelowna can't solve homelessness alone

UPDATE: Girls, 13 and 14, charged with second-degree murder in Manitoba