Guadalajara, Jalisco — A team of 100 Mexican forest firefighters have been deployed to Canada. The team left Monday from the Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla International Airport in the city of Guadalajara.
They landed in Thunder Bay, Ontario Monday evening from where they will be dispersed around the country to help battle ongoing forest fires.
In a joint statement from Mexico’s Foreign Affairs and Conafor, they reported “a team made up of 100 combatants and three technicians from the National Forestry Commission (Conafor) left Monday for the province of Ontario to support the suppression of forest fires that have affected thousands of people.
“The Canadian Inter-Agency Forest Fire Center (CIFFC) requested the support of Mexican combat personnel in the framework of the Operational Plan for the Exchange of Resources for the Management of Forest Fires between Canadian and Mexican participants, ratified this year by both instances.”
In the joint statement, they explained that this first deployment of specialized personnel left from the Guadalajara’s Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla International Airport in Jalisco, to Thunder Bay, Ontario, and will support the suppression and liquidation of forest fires for a period of approximately 33 days.
On June 18, the staff gathered at the facilities of the Conafor Central Offices in Zapopan for an informative session on the fires that they will attend to in Canada and the operating protocol under the Overseas Incident Command System.
All those selected have the experience, physical aptitude, training and adequate deployment equipment to remain in the field for the commission period, as well as international standards to carry out the control and extinction tasks of forest fires.
The Government of Mexico strengthens its deep ties of friendship and constant support with Canada. Similarly, it endorses the commitment of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made at the X Summit of North American Leaders to combat climate change to seek the security and well-being of the peoples of the region.
Mexico and Canada have an important history of cooperation in the fight against forest fires. Once again, the Government of Mexico endorses its solidarity, commitment and friendship with this country.
