British Columbia Welcomes Mexican Firefighters to Help with Wildfire Situation Adam Donnelly - CFJC Today
go to original August 4, 2017

With more than 100 wildfires still burning in British Columbia, and no end in sight to the hot, dry weather, there looks to be no reprieve for the BC Wildfire Service, and others battling the blazes across BC. But help is on the way from south of the border - south-south of the border to be exact - as 108 firefighters from Mexico arrived in Kamloops today, to lend relief to the crews on the front lines.

They arrived this morning on a Canadian Forces Hercules transport plane from Abbotsford. 108 highly trained wildfire personnel from Mexico’s national wildfire service touched down at Fulton Field Friday morning, ready to jump onto the front lines of BC’s wildfires.

“Last year we deployed 42 people to Alberta to help with the fires in Ft. McMurray,” spokesman Juan Villa explained. “This is the second year Mexican [firefighters] have come here to help with wildfires.”

Juan Villa has been fighting wildfires in Mexico for eight years. He says despite some differences in the type of forests they’ll be working in; the job remains constant - no matter where you’re doing it.

“The vegetation in Mexico and here, in some places, could be very different,” Villa said. “For example, the jungle, the rainforest [in Mexico] is very different, but all the firefighters have the same protocols… Of course, we can adapt and work together with the Canadian firefighters.”

Read the rest at CFJC Today

Related: British Columbia Extends Emergency Status Again as Wildfires Rage (Reuters)

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