The Government of Canada is committed to supporting Canadians as all orders of government work together during the 2023 wildfire season. Across Canada, several provinces and territories are experiencing a severe wildfire season, and the effects are already widespread. The Government Operations Centre is working to coordinate the federal response to the wildfire situation across the country. Officials are working closely with federal and provincial partners to coordinate this assistance.

• The Government of Canada and the Government of Alberta are coordinating a donation matching program with the Canadian Red Cross 2023 Alberta Fires Appeal; as a result, every dollar donated will become $3 in support to those affected by wildfire. Approximately $20 million has already been raised.
• Canadian Armed Forces are providing:
  • personnel and resources to aid in basic firefighting roles;
  • airlift resources for mobility and logistical tasks, including the evacuation of isolated communities;
  • engineering support, including heavy equipment resources, as capacity allows; and
  • non-technical ground reconnaissance in areas where CAF personnel are operating.
• Public Services and Procurement Canada is providing contracting support to impacted provinces for supplies or logistics.
• The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is providing support to response efforts and, as the contracted police of jurisdiction, supporting matters of law enforcement.
• Employment and Social Development Canada is supporting affected Canadians with enhanced Service Canada delivery, outreach to evacuees, and deployment of mobile units to evacuation centres to assist clients by offering support in submitting applications for benefits, such as employment insurance.
• Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) reimburses First Nations, provinces and territories and third-party emergency management providers 100 percent of eligible response and recovery costs, including evacuation costs, through the Emergency Management Assistance Program (EMAP).

For real-time updates:

BC Wildfire Service (gov.bc.ca)

Canadian Wildland Fire Information System | National Wildland Fire Situation Report (nrcan.gc.ca)

The Government of Canada Provides Update on Wildfire Seasonal Outlook and Outlines Response - Canada.ca