Montana deploys 22 firefighters to Canada

With fire season yet to erupt in the Treasure State, the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation sent 22 wildland firefighters to Canada to help combat wildfires there.

The DNRC sent the firefighters to Alberta through the Northwest Compact, a pact among states, provinces, and territories in the U.S. and Canada that facilitates the sharing of firefighters. Their first day on the job was June 21.

The firefighters were assigned to the Kimiwan Complex of fires in the Peace River Fire Protection Area of northwest Alberta. Alberta has been in a crisis state because of the wildfires, which have been ongoing since March.

“The State of Montana is happy to lend a hand to our neighbors to the north,” said Cory Calnan, deputy fire protection DNRC bureau chief, in a statement. “We as Montanans have greatly benefited from the convenience of the Northwest Compact and the ability to receive resources from Canada and other partner states when we need additional resources, so we’re thrilled we can return the favor.”

The 22 firefighters are coming from all over Montana: Clearwater, Missoula, Anaconda, Stillwater, Plains, Libby, Swan Valley, and Helena.

Since 1999, the Northwest Compact has been an agreement between the U.S. and Canada. It includes several of Canada’s provinces, Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory, and Northwest Territories/Forests. In the U.S., it includes the states of Idaho, Montana, Alaska, Oregon, and Washington.

“The great thing about the Northwest Compact is that when Montana’s resources are tapped beyond capabilities, we are able to call upon our partners to the north for assistance,” said Anna Lau, DNRC forestry communication coordinator.

The Montana firefighters will be on assignment for at least 14 days, and possibly up to 21 days, upon agreements with their crew boss, Aj Angelo, and other crew members.

“The Department remains committed to collaborative efforts that strengthen the collective ability to manage wildfires effectively,” Calnan said. “We extend our gratitude to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre and all our partners within the Northwest Compact for their continued cooperation and support.”

Fire responders from Canada have helped fight Montana fires in the past. Most recently, Canadian dispatchers helped in Helena in 2019, and Canadian firefighters worked in Montana in 2017, said Cassie Wandersee, communications director for the DNRC.

Wandersee said when Montana firefighters are ordered to another fire, the cost of travel and pay is covered by that fire. In other words, all of those costs including travel will be reimbursed to the state.

Fighting fires can be expensive. Montana’s Legislative Fiscal Division of Wildfire Suppression shows the annual fire cost ranging from $2.8 million in 2002 to $66.7 million in 2017.

So far this season, Montana hasn’t needed firefighting at home, but the DNRC is keeping an eye on conditions.

Montana Fire Protection Bureau staff and fire managers are making sure resources are available, looking at fire activity in Montana, and ensuring the agency is at a proper level of preparedness in the state to match Montanan’s current situation, said Wandersee.

“Right now was a really good time for us to be able to send this team to the initial attack camp crew to Canada because we don’t have high fire danger, and we’re not seeing a lot of fire activity across the state,” Wandersee said. “So we were confident in being able to share those resources while ensuring that we were prepared and able to respond to any wildfires that we might have here in Montana.”