Yukon wildfire fighters battle blazes across the prairies

3 days ago 29

Both provinces person seen monolithic evacuations owed to wildfires and a fig of agrarian communities person besides declared states of emergency.

Crews are lending a manus successful Alberta and Saskatchewan amid large wildfire outbreak

Cali McTavish · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 02, 2025 8:18 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 minutes ago

Yukon wildfire fighters sitting successful beforehand of the level that is astir to instrumentality them to Alberta.

Yukon wildfire fighters are off to Alberta and Saskatchewan to assistance combat a large wildfire outbreak.

"We've got a debased occurrence information standing here" said Haley Ritchie, an accusation serviceman with Yukon Wildland Fire. "So it's a bully clip for america to beryllium capable to assistance out."

Both provinces person seen massive evacuations owed to wildfires and a fig of agrarian communities person besides declared states of emergency.

Five onslaught crews and an bureau typical went to Alberta. The 21 radical are accompanied by an L188 Electra dense aerial tanker for aerial firefighting, on with the plane's 2 pilots and a dedicated mechanic.

"They're specified specialized craft that they travel with their ain personnel, who question with the plane," said Ritchie.

She said Yukon Wildfland Fire does not ain the aerial tanker, but contracts it retired for the season.

A spokesperson for the Alberta authorities said Yukon crews are battling the Swan analyzable occurrence adjacent Slave Lake. It's the hardest hit portion of Alberta, where much than 88,000 hectares person already burned.

The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre puts retired the petition for wildfire fighters, Ritchie said. Once they get wrong the state oregon territory, the section bureau coordinates who goes where.

Yukon wildfire fighters committee a formation bound for Alberta.

Meanwhile, a part supervisor and trainee from the Yukon are besides connected their mode to Saskatchewan to assistance retired with unit logistics there.

"Hopefully successful the future, we'll beryllium capable to get enactment erstwhile we request it too," said Ritchie.

She said if the occurrence concern were to alteration successful the Yukon, crews could beryllium pulled backmost wrong 24 hours. A chill and damp outpouring has meant a dilatory commencement to wildfire play successful the Yukon, wherever conscionable 4 hectares person burned truthful far.

Personnel are allowed to beryllium deployed for 19 days successful total, including question time.