For Release: May 19, 2023 Contact: Jennifer Myslivy

Public Affairs Specialist

jmyslivy@blm.gov

208-789-6181 

U.S. Resources Support Canadian Wildfires

Boise, Idaho – The National Interagency Coordination Center (NICC), located at the National Interagency 

Fire Center has sent additional resources to Canada in response to a request from the Canadian Interagency 

Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) in Canada. There are approximately 225 federal firefighting resources and support 

personnel assigned to various wildfires in Canada. Currently, the CIFFC has moved to Preparedness Level 5 

due to continued hot, dry conditions and extreme fire activity that is being observed on many incidents across 

all provinces and territories in Canada. 

In addition to the federal firefighting resources mobilized, several state wildland fire agencies are also 

providing personnel and equipment to support the wildfires burning in Canada. The Northwest Wildland Fire 

Protection Agreement (Northwest Compact) has been in place since 1999 between Canada (Alberta, British 

Columbia, Yukon Territory, Saskatchewan, and Northwest Territories/Forests) and the States of Alaska, 

Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Montana. Through this agreement, states have dispatched approximately 

125 personnel and equipment including ground and air from the following states: Alaska (one airtanker and 

the Pioneer Pike Hotshot Crew), Washington (miscellaneous firefighting personnel, one initial attack hand 

crew and three engines), Montana (three incident management personnel), and Oregon (26 incident 

management personnel). Additionally, Oregon and Washington (including local fire service) have combined 

personnel to create a shared incident management team. 

“With wildland fires straining the suppression efforts of our international partners in Canada, it is critical we 

use every authority and available resources to provide assistance.” said George Geissler, Washington State 

Forester and the National Association of State Foresters Fire Committee Chair. “The interagency wildland 

fire community is committed to protect the communities and the natural resources we all rely upon.” 

A second request for resources was processed through the NICC who worked with various geographic areas 

to fill those requests. This request included an additional 24 fireline specialist/supervisors, 61 crew members 

from three interagency hotshot crews, 29 members for two incident management teams and equipment 

(handheld radios, Mark III pumps with kits and fold-a-tanks). The resources have been traveling the last few 

days and will be provided their initial orientation this morning in Edmonton, AB. In total, there will be 

approximately 625 federal, state, and local firefighting resources and support personnel assigned to wildfires 

in Canada.

For the most current information concerning the wildfires burning in Canada, please visit the Canadian 

Interagency Forest Fire Centre webpage at https://ciffc.net/.
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The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), located in Boise, Idaho, is the nation's support center for wildland 

firefighting. Nine different agencies and organizations are part of NIFC including, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau 

of Land Management, Department of Defense, U.S. Fire Administration, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA Forest 

Service, National Association of State Foresters, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National 

Park Service.