Source: https://nowtoronto.com/news/canada-wildfires-firefighters-mexico-bc/
‘Gracias, great neighbour’: Canadians thank hundreds of Mexican firefighters battling B.C. wildfiresHundreds of Mexican wildfire personnel have arrived to support local crews as destructive fires force thousands from their homes across British Columbia.
Hundreds of Mexican firefighters have arrived in British Columbia to support local crews battling wildfires across the province. (Courtesy: @KerryLynneFindl/X)
What to know
Mexican wildfire personnel arrived in B.C. this week, with the first group deployed around Clinton and 70 Mile House.
The international crews are providing relief for local firefighters as approximately 120 wildfires continue burning across the province.
People on X are thanking Mexico for its support, with one user writing, “Thank you to our Mexican allies!”
Hundreds of Mexican firefighters have travelled to British Columbia to help protect communities during one of the province’s most destructive stretches of the 2026 wildfire season, prompting an outpouring of gratitude online.
The first group of more than 100 Mexican personnel arrived at Abbotsford International Airport on Monday, Aug. 3. At the time, B.C. Forests Minister Ravi Parmar said more than 200 additional personnel were expected later in the week, bringing the deployment to more than 300 people. The B.C. government confirmed the initial arrival in a statement.
A fresh contingent of approximately 200 Mexican firefighters arrived Thursday, according to The Canadian Press, confirming that more than 300 personnel had reached the province.
“Mexico heard the call and, as you can see, has stepped up in a significant way,” B.C. Premier David Eby said while welcoming the latest group at the airport.
The Mexican contingent also includes an incident-management team, the first from Mexico to be deployed to B.C. under the two countries’ mutual-aid arrangement.
The B.C. deployment comes days after Mexico sent 104 firefighters and specialized personnel to Ontario, prompting Premier Doug Ford to publicly thank the country as U.S. President Donald Trump threatened tariffs over Canadian wildfire smoke.
Read More
‘A friend of Ontario and Canada’: Doug Ford praises Mexico for wildfire aid amid Trump’s U.S. tariff threat
International crews join B.C.’s wildfire response
The Mexican firefighters are joining personnel from Alberta, Quebec and the Yukon. The province has also welcomed crews from Australia and New Zealand, according to an Aug. 6 statement from Eby.
By the end of the week, B.C. was expected to have more than 500 wildfire professionals from outside the province assisting with fires.
The international assistance comes as thousands of residents have been displaced by wildfires.
Earlier this week, officials said the Bradley Creek wildfire had destroyed approximately 230 homes in the Okanagan Indian Band community near Vernon. Around 8,000 people had been evacuated across the province, while approximately 120 wildfires were burning, about half of which were considered out of control.
Evacuation orders affecting 2,648 properties also remained in place Thursday because of the Quilpituk Creek wildfire along Okanagan Lake. Another 321 properties were under evacuation alerts, according to Central Okanagan Emergency Management.
The additional personnel will increase B.C.’s firefighting capacity and provide relief for local crews who have been working extended shifts. Mexican crews would be integrated into BC Wildfire Service operations and deployed where they were most needed.
‘Thank you, Mexico’
News of the firefighters’ arrival quickly gained attention on X, where users thanked the crews for travelling to Canada.
“Thank you to our Mexican allies!” a user on X said.
“When neighbours have a problem, you can either complain or you can help. When it comes to neighbours, be like Mexico,” another user noted.
“Thank you, Mexico,” another user on X wrote.
“Thank you so much for the 100 or more brave firefighters from Mexico who have arrived to assist our Canadian firefighters. So very thankful for your assistance during these very frightening times in B.C. and Canada. Bless you!” another user on X commented.
“Mexico has sent us 300 firefighters here in BC now that’s a great neighbour!” another user said.
Julián Adem Díaz de León, Mexico’s consul general in Vancouver, also praised the personnel for travelling beyond the country’s borders to protect lives, forests and communities.
“They represent the very best of Mexico,” he said.
The assistance is arriving as the province prepares for continued wildfire risk. BC Wildfire Service’s seasonal outlook warned that activity was expected to peak during July and August, with vigorous and difficult-to-control fires possible in the Central and Southern Interior and along the South Coast.
Archived URL: https://nowtoronto.com/news/canada-wildfires-firefighters-mexico-bc/
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