The Government of Mexico, through the National Forestry Commission (Conafor), sent a second group of firefighters to contribute to the mitigation and extinction tasks of the more than 300 active forest fires that affect the province of British Columbia in Canada.
The second Mexican group of 100 firefighters arrived on July 24 at Vancouver’s Abbotsford International Airport, where they were received by a delegation led by the Consul General of Mexico in Vancouver, Berenice Díaz Ceballos.
The assistance from Mexico takes place within the Memorandum of Understanding for the Exchange of Resources for Forest Fire Management between both countries.
Conafor, the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources, and the Ministry of Foreign Relations managed the cooperation together with the Canadian Center for Forest Fire Interagency (CIFFC).
This is the fourth time that the agreement between the two countries has been activated, and the second so far this year.
Mike Farnworth, Minister of Security for the province of British Columbia, has declared that the situation in this province is critical.
Consequently, the decision has been made to carry out mass evacuations and provide emergency accommodation for the evacuees, and put other surrounding populations at risk on alert.
Mexico followed up on the Canadian government’s request for help and sent the first contingent of 101 combatants on July 17 to the province of Ontario, which was received by a delegation led by the Mexican ambassador to Canada. Juan José Gómez Camacho, and the Consul General in Toronto, Porfirio Thierry Muñoz Ledo.
The Government of Canada confirmed the availability to inoculate members of the Mexican contingent against COVID-19 upon arrival, as part of bilateral cooperation.
Mexico reiterated the friendship, cooperation, and solidarity with the Government of Canada.
British Columbia, which suffered an extreme heatwave in late June and early July with record temperatures reaching 49.6 ° C that killed about 500 people, is experiencing one of the worst wildfire seasons in its history.
More than 3,000 firefighters from across the country are in the province to help control the fires that have forced the evacuation of thousands of people in recent days.
So far this year, more than 3,000 square kilometers of forest have been burned by 1,162 declared fires.
In Ontario, authorities have been forced to place the northwestern part of the province under an emergency alert due to the number of fires and the virulence of the flames.
Ontario Government Minister of Natural Resources and Forests Greg Rickford expressed in a statement his appreciation “for the courageous efforts of Ontario’s wildland firefighters and all the people who support their efforts to keep northern communities safe.”
In British Columbia, 258 fires were still active this Saturday, 17 less than on Friday, when at the beginning of the week the figure was just over 300.
Similarly, in Ontario, the number of fires had dropped to 153, 13 fewer than 24 hours earlier. In both cases, the reduction in fires is the result of the arrival of colder air and in the case of Ontario, of rainfall, but thousands of people have had to be evacuated, or will be evacuated in the next few hours, due to the threat, especially in indigenous communities. And the smoke, which is spreading over large areas of the country, is also causing both visibility and respiratory problems.
Trending News
Trending News on PVDN
Tropical Storm Erick Strengthening as Hurricane Watch Issued for Southern Mexico Tropical Storm Erick is forecast to become a hurricane before making landfall in southern Mexico. A Hurricane Watch is now in effect from Bahias de Huatulco to Punta Maldonado. Tropical Storm Erick continues to gather strength off Mexico’s southern Pacific coast and is forecast to become a hurricane by Wednesday, according to the latest advisory…
Hurricane Erick will bring heavy rains to Puerto Vallarta Hurricane Erick Puerto Vallarta will bring heavy rains to Puerto Vallarta by Friday but poses no risk to the northern coast of Jalisco. Meteorologist Víctor Manuel Cornejo López, of the Civil Protection scientific committee for the Bay, reports that Hurricane Erick will deliver significant rainfall to Puerto Vallarta without threatening the region’s safety. According to…
Hurricane Erick Becomes Eastern Pacific’s Strongest Cyclone of 2025, Eyes Mexico’s Southwest Coast Hurricane Erick rapidly intensified off Mexico’s Pacific coast, becoming the second hurricane of the 2025 season and threatening southwestern Mexico with dangerous wind, rain, and storm surge. This story is available in Spanish: El huracán Erick se fortalece rápidamente y amenaza la costa suroeste de México The 2025 eastern Pacific hurricane season continues to surge…
Tropical Storm Erick Threatens Oaxaca as Mexico Activates Civil Protection Plan Mexico activates a civil protection plan as Tropical Storm Erick strengthens. The storm may become a Category 2 hurricane, putting 22 municipalities in Oaxaca at risk. The Government of Mexico has activated its civil protection plan as Tropical Storm Erick moves closer to the country’s southern Pacific coast, with Oaxaca, Chiapas, and Guerrero under direct…
Puerto Vallarta restaurants face 33 percent staff shortage Restaurants in Puerto Vallarta face a 33% staffing shortfall as they prepare for a busy summer holiday season, aiming to boost sales by up to 60% despite ongoing labor challenges. As Puerto Vallarta prepares to welcome a surge of summer tourists, the city’s restaurant sector is grappling with a serious staffing problem—operating with roughly one-third…
Puerto Vallarta hit by flooding, fallen trees, and damaged roads after first storm of the season Heavy rain and a nighttime storm caused widespread flooding, road closures, and downed trees in Puerto Vallarta. Several key roads remain impassable. PUERTO VALLARTA — The first major storm of the rainy season swept through Puerto Vallarta overnight, leaving behind extensive damage across the city, including widespread flooding, blocked roads, and fallen trees. By morning,…
New Tropical Cyclone Likely to Form Off Mexico’s Pacific Coast This Week Meteorologists warn of a 90% chance a new tropical cyclone will form midweek off Mexico’s Pacific coast, as Dalila weakens and rains persist across southern Mexico. As Tropical Storm Dalila moves farther out to sea and becomes post-tropical, meteorologists are turning their attention to a new disturbance brewing off Mexico’s Pacific coast, which is highly…
American Woman Drowns at Closed Beach in Los Cabos Despite Black Flag Warning A 57-year-old American woman drowned at Santa María Beach in Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, on June 17, despite black flag warnings indicating the beach was closed due to dangerous conditions. Los Cabos, Baja California Sur – Tragedy struck the beaches of Los Cabos on the afternoon of June 17, when a 57-year-old American woman…
Sargassum Crisis in Cancún and Playa del Carmen Forces Restaurants and Beach Clubs to Cut Staff Businesses in Cancún and Playa del Carmen report steep losses due to sargassum, with restaurants losing diners and beach clubs sending staff on unpaid leave. Restaurants and beach clubs along the shores of Puerto Juárez in Cancún and Playa del Carmen are grappling with a sharp downturn in business due to a relentless invasion of…
Rain washes away 71 homes in Querétaro and El Marqués Rains from Tropical Storm Dalila caused flooding and landslides that damaged 71 homes in Querétaro and El Marqués. A 30 million peso contingency fund has been activated. Tropical Storm Dalila left a trail of destruction across the metropolitan region of Querétaro, with heavy rains causing flooding and landslides that affected at least 71 homes in…
The Government of Mexico, through the National Forestry Commission (Conafor), sent a second group of firefighters to contribute to the mitigation and extinction tasks . . .
