B.C. fire crews sent to fight Los Angeles wildfire: forests minister

Firefighters watch water drops on the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

British Columbia’s forests minister says a crew from the province’s wildfire service left for California Saturday afternoon to help battle the wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area.

Ravi Parmar says in a video posted to social media Saturday afternoon that The B.C. Wildfire Service's crews had left the province and are expected to touch down in Los Angeles around 4 p.m. Pacific.

The fire crew was first promised by Premier David Eby, who committed the crew on Friday after a request from California’s Forestry and Fire Protection Department.

Eby says his province will also send ground crews to California as part of a national response to the blaze.

The B.C. Wildfire Service did not immediately confirm whether the crew had landed and it’s unclear how many firefighters were sent.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also shared video footage of a Canadian aerial firefighting aircraft preparing to take another pass over the wildfires, saying Canada is "always here to help our American friends."

Since the fires began, at least 11 people have died and multiple neighbourhoods have been reduced to ash.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 11, 2025.