British Columbia's wildfire management branch is sending 93 individuals to Ontario to assist with firefighting efforts there.

The team, consisting of 30 Type 1 initial attack crews and three agency representatives, leaves Tuesday and are being deployed through the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre that allows for mutual resource sharing between B.C. and other jurisdictions. All associated costs will be covered by Ontario.

This is the fourth jurisdiction to request B.C.'s assistance this year. B.C. crews have also been to Alberta, Alaska and the Yukon. Crews can be deployed for up to 19 days, but can be recalled at any time if the situation in B.C. should change. Sufficient personnel and resources remain in B.C. at all times.

Quick Facts:

• Initial attack firefighters operate as three-person crews and are usually the first on the scene of a new wildfire, with the goal to extinguish the fire while it is still less than one hectare in size.
• There are more than 330 initial attack firefighters stationed at 50 bases around B.C.
• Agency representatives act as the link between the deployed crews and the Wildfire Management Branch.

Learn More:

For the latest information on fire activity, conditions and prohibitions in B.C., visit: www.bcforestfireinfo.gov.bc.ca

You can also follow the latest B.C. wildfire news -

On Twitter at: http://twitter.com/BCGovFireInfo

On Facebook at: http://facebook.com/BCForestFireInfo

Contact:

Fionna Tollovsen
Provincial Fire Information Officer
Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
250 312-3051