Saturday, September 13, 2025

Mexico sends 100 firefighters to help combat wildfires in Canada

One hundred and one firefighters have been sent to Canada to help combat forest fires on the request of its northern trading partner, where the situation has been classified as critical.

The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) set a Level 5 preparedness warning on July 12, the highest on the scale.

The Mexican contingent flew into Toronto on the weekend to join efforts in Ontario, where an emergency order was issued by the province, marking the fourth occasion that the National Forest Commission has sent personnel to Canada to assist with the suppression of wildfires. As of Sunday morning, there were more than 100 forest fires burning in northwestern Ontario. On Thursday, an unidentified firefighter died while tackling a blaze.

The Mexican contingent is formed of five brigades, including three women amid five brigade chiefs, 20 squad chiefs, over 60 ranking firefighters and a Covid-19 coordinator, among others, from 22 states. They convened in Zapopan, Jalisco, for Covid-19 and medical tests between June 15 and 17.

A historic heatwave last month has contributed to this year’s wildfire season in Canada, which has torched 270,000 hectares in British Columbia and over the weekend pumped thick smoke into the air across Alberta, obscuring the Edmonton and Calgary skylines.

CIFFC executive director Kim Connors said this is the most active fire season the agency has seen in years, and that there was no relief in sight. “This is far from over … There’s a lot of work to do. Some of these are big fires and they burn deep. They’re very hot fires and it takes a lot of work to put these fires out,” he said.

With reports from AM Querétaro, El Financiero  CBC, The Globe and Mail

Have something to say? Paid Subscribers get all access to make & read comments.
A soldier records the passage of Armed Forces helicopters during rehearsals for the Military Air Parade marking the 215th anniversary of the start of the Mexican War of Independence

Mexico’s week in review: Market confidence, China tariff hikes and military scandal

0
Other headlines included a move by Peru to declare Mexico's president a persona non grata, a one-year high for the peso and fatal roadway accidents that left over 100 people wounded.
News quiz

The MND News Quiz of the Week: September 13th

0
Trash, tariffs and tourism: Have you been following the news this week?
presdent sheinbaum in Sept 2025

Sheinbaum on the defense after China charges Mexico with enacting tariffs under US coercion

31
While rejecting any "appeasement ... toward unilateral bullying” (a clear reference to Trump), the president indicated a willingness to negotiate.
BETA Version - Powered by Perplexity