State sends firefighting resources to Canada

OLYMPIA – The NW Compact, an agreement with U.S. states and Canadian provinces to share resources, allows Washington DNR and its fire service partners to send heavy air tankers, engines, hand crews, and incident management teams to Alberta.

While DNR is asking Washingtonians to do their part to stop wildfires before they start, the agency is also supporting its neighbors to the north as they fight devastating fires. The NW Compact, along with other compacts, ensures that Washington can also count on support from states and provinces as needed.

“As we’re seeing from the massive smoke impacts on the East Coast right now, wildfire isn’t just a West Coast issue,” said Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz. “The far-reaching effects of wildfire touch us all.”

“Agreements like the NW compact are vital. We’re supporting our friends in Alberta with vital equipment and crews, and we know they’ll have our backs if we’re facing a similarly dire situation,” said Franz. “We’ve experienced catastrophic wildfires and smoke and know how important it is to have as many resources as possible to put the fires out and protect communities.”