Canada bolsters wildfire response with 10 new firefighting aircraft

The federal government has leased ten new firefighting planes and helicopters to strengthen Canada's response as the 2026 wildfire season gets underway. The aircraft will be strategically deployed across the country from May 1 through September 30, partnering with the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre to support provincial and territorial efforts.

The fleet includes four modern Dash 8 air tankers capable of carrying roughly 4,000 litres of retardant or water each, five heavy lift helicopters, one birddog reconnaissance plane, and two support assets. John Gradek, an aviation expert at McGill University, emphasized their importance: "They will be used to augment the provincial government's fleet of airplanes and will be deployed as needed by the federal government in support of provincial efforts to fight fires."

This announcement comes against the backdrop of catastrophic wildfire seasons in recent years. In 2023, Canada experienced more than 6,000 fires burning 15 million hectares across the country and Quebec—a scale that strained resources to the breaking point. Josée Poitras, prevention and communications agent at SOPFEU, Quebec's wildfire agency, called the new capacity essential. "In 2023, all of Canada was literally on fire, so to speak, and even here in Quebec with the wildfires."

The additional aircraft address a critical bottleneck: during 2023's crisis, Quebec and other provinces had to monitor fires they lacked capacity to fight, leaving some blazes unattended while crews managed higher-priority threats. The expanded fleet should allow more simultaneous response.

Public Safety Canada warns that above-normal summer temperatures are forecast, with 65 wildfires already burning across the country—six of them out of control.