Over 110 firefighters from Mexico landing in Abbotsford to support wildfire response in B.C.

ABBOTSFORD — Wildfire crews from Mexico are landing at the Abbotsford International Airport to support firefighting efforts in British Columbia.

Ravi Parmar, minister of forests, welcomed more than 110 firefighting personnel at the airport early Monday afternoon (Aug. 3).

“Supporting our neighbours and communities, showing hospitality to our partners and taking care of each other. These are the values that make me proud to be a British Columbian,” said Parmar.

“They’ve travelled from their homes to help us protect ours amidst a challenging wildfire season […] Whether support comes from within B.C., across Canada or around the world, every person who joins the effort strengthens our response capacity and helps ensure resources are available when and where they are needed most.”

An additional 102 personnel are set to arrive Thursday, August 6.

There are roughly 130 active fires across the province as of Monday, most of which are caused by lightning.

All evacuation orders and alerts are currently in place in the Fraser Valley Regional District. The Brunswick Creek Wildfire Complex is at 48,416 hectares at the time of writing, up by over 5,100 hectares since Saturday morning.