Alberta Wildland Firefighters Return Home After Battling California Blazes

A team of Alberta wildland firefighters have returned home after a two-week deployment helping fight California’s devastating wildfires. The 42 firefighters, including one from Fort McMurray, arrived back in Canada over the weekend and are now on well-deserved rest.

During their deployment, the Alberta crews worked on several major wildfires, including the Eaton and Hughes fires, which destroyed thousands of buildings and displaced tens of thousands of residents. The teams focused on perimeter containment, extinguishing hot spots, and responding to new flare-ups. Minster of Forestry and Parks, Todd Loewen stated the deployment also provided an opportunity for Alberta firefighters to cross-train with their American counterparts and share firefighting knowledge and skills.

“While the forest fuels, weather, and topography were very different from what our firefighters are used to in Alberta, they quickly adapted and fit right in with their American counterparts,” said Patrick McIlwaine, who participated in the deployment as a representative of Alberta Wildfire. “Both the American wildland firefighters and the Los Angeles residents we met were grateful for the support from Alberta.”

The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection have jointly sent a letter of appreciation, expressing their gratitude for Canada and Alberta’s assistance.

“Thank you for standing with California. Our solidarity reinforces the strong bonds between our people, and we look forward to continued collaboration in overcoming challenges together,” the statement read.

The Alberta firefighters’ return marks the conclusion of an international effort that saw firefighters from across Canada work alongside their U.S. counterparts in extreme conditions. With the combined efforts of firefighters from across North America, the Hughes and Eaton fires are now 100 per cent contained.