Canada has asked Costa Rica for help in controlling fires in Alberta, where the blaze has consumed 2.9 million hectares.
A total of 89 forest firefighters and three specialist technicians from the National System of Conservation Areas (Sinac) traveled today to Canada with the aim of contributing to the efforts to extinguish forest fires in that country.
This deployment of personnel comes after the Government of Canada asked Costa Rica last week for help in supporting its first collaborative deployment in the province of Alberta.
This area has been affected for several weeks by large forest fires that have consumed approximately 2.9 million hectares, with dozens of fires out of control, affecting infrastructure and causing health problems for thousands of Canadian citizens.
Canadian resources to address the problem are not sufficient, They therefore resorted to mechanisms for requesting international aid from countries with which they have cooperation agreements.
Aerial photograph by the Alberta Wildfire Service.
In this case Canada will assume all costs air travel, international insurance policy, staff equipment, food and lodging for the staff who will support this missionIn detail, there will be 62 firefighters from Sinac and 27 from the Fire Department.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship said that, to date, Canada has requested international support from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, personnel who are already in Canada supporting the response to forest fires.
Costa Rican forest firefighters left on a charter flight at 9:00 am from Juan Santamaría International Airport on Thursday and will arrive at Edmonton Airport, Alberta province at approximately 6:30 pm local time, after stopping for refueling at Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans.
In the Costa Rican delegation there will be 62 firefighters from Sinac and 27 from the Fire Department.
In this regard, the Vice Minister of Bilateral Affairs and International Cooperation, Lydia Peralta, stated that, “Today our country once again thanks Canada for the help it has received and does so through a gesture of reciprocity and solidarity”.
The participation of this group of brave Costa Rican firefighters, men and women, who will support with their knowledge and experience the Canadian efforts to control the forest fires that afflict that nation, constitutes an example of how countries can and should contribute to confront natural events that affect us all, that threaten people’s lives, cause damage to the environment and biodiversity, and produce significant economic losses.”
For its part David Chavarria MoralesExecutive Director of SINAC, commented that the assistance being provided to Canada confirms the work that the country has done in the last 30 years in the area of fire management, as well as the capabilities of Costa Rican forest firefighters, who have undergone a training process that has allowed them to have the endorsement of the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) to participate in this deployment.
This is the second year in a row that a national fire brigade has assisted Canada in dealing with forest fires. Last year, 146 firefighters participated.
This is the second year in a row that a national fire brigade has assisted Canada in dealing with forest fires.
Political Counsellor of the Canadian Embassy, Dana Cryderman, He thanked Costa Rica on behalf of his country for its support.
For the second consecutive year, we witness Costa Rica’s solidarity, the efficient response of its institutions and the great capacity of its professionals. To all of them: thank you very much!
