BC Expected to Request Ottawa’s Help With Worsening Wildfires: Minister

Flames from the Donnie Creek wildfire burn along a ridge top north of Fort St. John, B.C., on July 2, 2023. The Canadian Press/AP/Noah Berger

Canada’s Emergency Preparedness Minister says he is expecting a “fairly substantive” request for help from British Columbia as wildfires worsen.

Bill Blair tells The Canadian Press the government operations centre has been in discussions with the province for the last several days, and Ottawa is ready to deploy the needed resources as the formal request for help is expected today.