With nearly 600 wildfires raging across British Columbia, firefighters from the Lower Mainland are answering a desperate call from their colleagues in the interior.
On Thursday, a team from Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services hit the road for the Fort St. James area.
Assistant Chief Dave Boone said eight firefighters and two trucks are now en route.
“They’re going up there with a pumper truck and a wildlands unit,” Boone said.
“They’ll be deployed in and around the Fort St. James area, and my understanding is that the initial intention of their involvement was to support with regards to protection of urban area and structures.”
In Burnaby, the fire department said a formal request for help had been received and was pending approval from city hall.
Burnaby Fire Chief Joe Robertson said if the department gets the green light, it will send eight firefighters and a support vehicle to help.
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“So we’d send two trucks as we did last year, if it’s approved,” said Robertson.
WATCH: Province declares state of emergency as wildfires grow
In Coquitlam, firefighters have been rotating into the fire zone since early August.
The department deployed a five-member Structural Protection Unit, which works with large industrial sprinklers to protect homes and property, as it did during last year’s record fire season.
Coquitlam Fire Chief Jim Ogloff said they could send more, if requested.
“We do have some resources we can send, depending on what exactly they need. We do have an additional SPU, and we have a large 3,000 gallon tanker,” he said.
“We have deployed both of those units last year under the same circumstances.”
The District of North Vancouver has also deployed a SPU, as well as two engines and nine personnel to the Burns Lake and Smithers areas.
Chilliwack, too, pitched in on Thursday, deploying two firefighters and a water truck.
Crews from Saltspring, Vancouver Island and Abbotsford have also been delpoyed.
Emergency Management BC says the Office of the Fire Commissioner is currently building a database of major apparatus available to help with wildfire efforts.
The deployments come amid a declaration of a province-wide state of emergency to address the wildfires scorching B.C.
As of Thursday, more than 3,000 people had been forced from their homes due to wildfire evacuations.
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