B.C. sending almost 100 firefighters to Ontario, after 42 deployed to Manitoba

The Canadian Press

· Posted: May 16, 2025 8:52 PM EDT | Last Updated: 7 minutes ago

British Columbia Forests Minister Ravi Parmar says the state is sending astir 100 wildland firefighters to Ontario, wherever fires person been threatening respective communities adjacent the Manitoba border.

Parmar says the deployment comes aft B.C. sent 42 firefighters to Manitoba, wherever a blaze successful the agrarian municipality of Lac du Bonnet this week destroyed 28 homes and cottages and near 2 radical dead.

He says the deployments are portion of an inter-agency statement that allows provinces to inquire each different for wildfire support. 

He says it's up to Ontario to determine wherever successful the state it volition nonstop the B.C. firefighters.

Parmar says emblematic deployments to different jurisdictions past 2 weeks, but authorities is assessing the concern connected a regular basis. 

Cool temperatures and rainfall person kept B.C.'s ain occurrence concern manageable, Parmar says, allowing the inter-provincial deployments.

"Our priority, of course, [is] making definite that we person the resources present to combat fires successful British Columbia, but we felt that we were successful a bully presumption to beryllium capable to assistance supply enactment to our neighbours," helium said. 

The minister urged the nationalist to beryllium cautious heading into the Victoria Day agelong weekend. 

"As we caput into the May long play and British Columbians in every portion of our state are heading into the bush — enjoying camping, enjoying the large outdoors — they tin retrieve that they person a relation to play arsenic well, and that's to beryllium occurrence smart," helium said.

The state says Category 2 and 3 unfastened burning is prohibited in the Cariboo Fire Centre and parts of the Northwest Fire Centre. A summer-long Category 3 open-burning prohibition successful the Kamloops Fire Centre went into effect Friday.