Two hundred Mexican firefighters arrive in BC as wildfire conditions worsen

ABBOTSFORD, BC — Two hundred firefighters from Mexico arrived in British Columbia Thursday as the province brings in hundreds of additional personnel to help battle wildfires and provide relief to crews on the front lines.

Premier David Eby welcomed the firefighters at Abbotsford International Airport alongside Emergency Management and Climate Readiness Minister Kelly Greene as wildfires continue to threaten communities across the province.

Eby said about 7,000 people are currently under evacuation orders, with roughly the same number under evacuation alerts.

“This is an incredibly challenging time for many British Columbia families,” Eby said.

The Mexican firefighters are part of roughly 600 additional firefighters arriving from elsewhere in Canada and around the world, including Australia and New Zealand. BC is also receiving support from Alberta, Quebec and Yukon.

Eby said the 200 Mexican firefighters are expected to deploy to the Brunswick fire complex in the Fraser Canyon. They will work a 14-day shift and provide relief to BC Wildfire Service crews who have been working on the front lines.

“They provide a bit of surge capacity, but pretty crucially, a chance for wildfire firefighting crews in the province to catch their breath and be able to recover,” Eby said.

The province is also bringing in six additional aircraft to support the wildfire response. Eby said the BC Wildfire Service has told him the province currently has enough resources to respond to existing conditions, but he cautioned that the situation can change quickly.

BC is expecting conditions to intensify over the next couple of weeks, with dry weather and lightning forecast in southern parts of the province.

Eby said the province is not currently considering a provincial state of emergency because officials do not need additional emergency powers.

A provincial state of emergency can give the government additional powers, including the ability to restrict travel or ration resources. Eby said the province would not hesitate to declare one if conditions require it.

“We have some very challenging weeks coming up, I'm told by the BC Wildfire Service,” he said.

The province is also not restricting travel in wildfire-affected areas at this time. Eby said officials have not seen traffic interfere with wildfire response efforts, but urged British Columbians to follow evacuation orders and prepare to leave if they are placed under an alert.

Eby also faced questions Thursday about criticism that he had been absent from public view as wildfires spread and destroyed homes in parts of the province.

“The last thing that wildfire fighters need when they're facing down a wall of flame is for the premier to show up to hold a press conference,” Eby said.

He said he has been speaking with local leaders in affected communities, while Greene and Forests Minister Ravi Parmar have been travelling to areas affected by the fires.

For now, Eby urged residents in wildfire-affected areas to stay informed, prepare a go-bag if they are under an evacuation alert and leave when ordered.

“Our number one priority is the protection of human life,” he said.