CIFFC secures 12 leased aircraft for 2026 wildfire response

By AI, Created 6:10 PM UTC, May 25, 2026, /AGP/ – The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre has secured 12 leased aerial assets for the 2026 fire season, backed by a $316.7 million federal investment over five years. The aircraft are meant to give provinces and territories faster access to surge capacity as wildfire activity intensifies.

Why it matters: - The new aircraft pool is meant to help provinces and territories respond faster when wildfire activity spikes. - The federal funding supports a stronger national surge capacity during a fire season that has become more severe and frequent. - The leasing arrangement is designed to fill gaps when local resources are stretched.

What happened: - The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre secured 12 leased aerial assets for use during the 2026 wildfire season. - The effort is supported by a Government of Canada investment of $316.7 million over five years. - The aircraft are being coordinated for provincial and territorial wildfire agencies through CIFFC.

The details: - The leased fleet includes four Dash 8-400 AT land-based airtankers, one TBM960AA birddog and two Forward Attack Tanker Bases through Conair Group Inc. - The package also includes three Airbus AS332 L and L1 heavy rotary-wing helicopters through Coldstream Helicopters Ltd. - Two Sikorsky S-92A heavy rotary-wing helicopters are being provided through VIH Helicopters. - The aircraft will be strategically positioned in Canada based on provincial and territorial need, fire activity and preparedness level. - Aircraft can be relocated at any time based on the current situation. - Provincial and territorial wildfire agencies must submit resource requests through normal CIFFC processes. - Requests will be prioritized through CIFFC’s Canadian Multi-Agency Coordination Group and its established coordination process. - That coordination process is the primary forum for triaging and prioritizing shared wildfire response resources in Canada, including aircraft, personnel and equipment.

Between the lines: - The deal signals a more centralized approach to wildfire readiness, with CIFFC serving as the national allocator of scarce aerial resources. - Federal investment is being used not just to add aircraft, but to create flexible response capacity that can shift across provinces and territories. - The quotes from federal ministers and CIFFC leadership frame the move as both an emergency response measure and a long-term resilience strategy.

What’s next: - Provincial and territorial agencies will tap the leased aircraft through CIFFC as fire conditions develop this summer. - Aircraft placement will continue to adjust as wildfire activity changes across the country. - The arrangement is expected to support wildfire response throughout 2026 and beyond.

The bottom line: - Canada is entering wildfire season with more federally backed aerial firefighting capacity, and CIFFC will control how that capacity is deployed.