For the first time, Canada has a firefighting aircraft reserve force to assist provincial and territories respond to wildfires.
Four air tankers, one spotter plane and five heavy lift helicopters are being leased for a 150-day periods at a total cost of $317 with the federal government picking up the tab. Kelsey Winter is the Executive Director of the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.

The aircraft will be positioned within Canada based on fire activity forecasts and current wildfire activity.

The 2025 wildfire season was Canada’s second-worst on record with nearly 90,000 square kilometres of forest consumed—-an area larger than New Brunswick