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Firefighters from Mexico arrive in Edmonton to help battle Alberta wildfires

By Caley Ramsay, Web Producer, Global News,

July 8, 2015 8:38 pm, Source

EDMONTON — Dozens of firefighters have arrived in Edmonton from Mexico to help battle wildfires in northern Alberta.

Sixty-two firefighters arrived at Edmonton International Airport from from Jalisco, Mexico Wednesday evening. After being briefed on the current wildfire situation, they will head up to help the 1,700 firefighers who have been working tirelessly for weeks to douse the blazes.

“The guys are good to go,” said firefighter Hector Trejo. “Our season just ended a couple weeks ago so we’re happy to help up here.

“Most of the guys, this is their passion—fight fires, get to know the forest—and what better way to do it than come to another country and help others.”

Fire crews from Jalisco have been helping battle fires in Alberta for the past 10 years; they’ve been called in to assist several times.

“We’ve been working with them on training and a number of different things,” said Geoffrey Driscoll, a wildfire information officer with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. “What we did was we have brought their training standards up to our own, so that’s why we can have these firefighters here.”

As of Thursday morning, there were 95 wildfires burning in Alberta, 30 of which were listed as out of control.

“The fire season in Alberta has been particularly busy. We’ll take the help that we can get,” said Driscoll. “Every little bit helps and we’re certainly happy that our partners in Jalisco were able to give us some firefighters.”

“But they’ve got a big job ahead of them.”

While conditions have improved over the past few days, on the weekend there were upwards of 120 wildfires burning in Alberta, Driscoll says cooler temperatures and rain would be welcomed by fire crews.

“The situation is starting to look up; however, there is still a lot of work to be done, probably weeks or months,” said Driscoll.

Trejo says his crews are ready for the challenge and eager to get to work.

“It’s exciting. The guys know they’re coming to fight fires, they’re anxious to do it and they like coming up here. It’s a good feeling for them.”

The wildfire season in Jalisco ended in late June.

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Some firefighters upset over Mexican crews joining Alberta wildfire battle

Dario Balca, CTVNews.ca, Published Thursday, July 9, 2015 8:13PM EDT,
Last Updated Thursday, July 9, 2015 8:41PM EDT, Source

Contract firefighting companies in Alberta say they’re upset with the government for enlisting the help of Mexican firefighters -- instead of them -- in the province’s wildfire outbreak.

On Wednesday, 62 firefighters from the Mexican state of Jalisco arrived in Edmonton. They will soon join the other 1,700 firefighters from across Canada battling more than 90 wildfires in northern Alberta.

“For most of the guys, this is their passion—to fight fires—and what better way to do it than in another country and help others?” said Hector Drejo, one of the Mexican firefighters.

But local fire safety companies say they should have been called upon first.

“It’s just sad that the government doesn’t utilize this service that’s here and employs a lot of people locally,” said Greg Gaalaas of Bravo Oilfield Safety Services.

Kris Liivam of Arctic Fire Safety Services said companies like his are “ready to work with the government to put these fires out” and should have been called upon to help.

Liivam and Gaalaas are both part of a network of private companies in Alberta that are contracted to ensure fire safety during industrial operations, mainly in the oil industry.

But wildfire officials say the work was outsourced to ensure certain firefighting standards.

“We don’t use volunteer firefighters because we have to have a certain level of training,” said Geoffrey Driscoll, a wildfire information officer.

Alberta’s 10-year relationship with the Jalisco firefighters, he said, ensures those standards will be met. The Mexican firefighters have worked in Alberta several times since 2005.

“We’ve helped them train those firefighters to our standards,” Driscoll said.

And with resources spread thinly across Western Canada, Driscoll said Alberta does not have the luxury of choosing where qualified help comes from.

“We’re trying to get firefighters from all over Canada, but much of Western Canada is in the same state that we are, so we’ll take the help where we can get it,” he said.

The Jalisco crew will be in the province for at least two weeks.

With a report from CTV Edmonton's Ashley Molnar

7/11/151:26 PM