Saskatchewan says it can send firefighters and equipment to help fight wildfires in California.
The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency has offered to send a Birddog aircraft, 3,000 feet of hose and 10 firefighters to help crews in the region.
“Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the wildfires in California,” Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Minister Tim McLeod said in a news release announcing the agency’s support.
“In Saskatchewan, we know first-hand how devastating a fire can be, and offering our experienced members and equipment is exactly what being a good neighbour is all about.”
The public safety agency receives requests for support through established mutual agreements or partnerships.
This request was made through the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, and the province is waiting for a response from the centre regarding deploying the firefighters and equipment.
Premier Scott Moe said in a news conference Tuesday that the province is working with the federal government to allocate resources.
“Some of our resources fit the work that they were doing down there and some maybe isn’t as strong a fit,” said Moe.
CBC News sees how Canadian pilots are helping to fight the Los Angeles wildfires from the sky as the region braces for explosive fire growth. Santa Ana winds topping 100 km/h are forecast for the next few days, which could add to the challenge for firefighters.
More than a dozen wildfires have broken out in southern California since Jan. 1, mostly in the greater Los Angeles area.
And as winds were building up again Tuesday, a week after two massive infernos destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 24 people, firefighting forces were staging around the city to attack flare-ups or new blazes.
