MONTREAL 鈥� Quebec said Friday it will send two more firefighting aircraft to California, a day after one of the province鈥檚 water bombers collided with a drone while battling the wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area.
Quebec Public Security Minister Fran莽ois Bonnardel said on X that "at the request of U.S. authorities, we will be sending two additional water bombers 鈥� and their crews as early as Jan. 15."
He said Quebec will provide California with four water bombers in total.
鈥淒uring the terrible wildfire season of 2023, we were able to count on the help of our allies around the world. It's important to do the same for our neighbours to the south,鈥� Bonnardel added.
British Columbia is also lending more support. Premier David Eby said a senior management team from the 小蓝视频 Wildfire Service "will be departing imminently" for California in response to a request from the state's Forestry and Fire Protection Department.
The province is expecting the team to consist of about 12 people, although that number may increase in subsequent deployments as the California fire situation remains fluid.
The deployment is expected to last for at least two weeks.
"California has been there for us, we will be there for them," Eby said in a social media statement, adding that 小蓝视频 is also working on sending groundcrews as part of Canada's national response.
"That鈥檚 what good neighbours do," the premier said.
小蓝视频 Forests Minister Ravi Parmar said later on social media that the 小蓝视频 Wildfire Service team would work directly with California fire officials "to provide advanced support in crucial areas" including logistics, planning, operations and aviation.
Parmar said the deployment would happen "in the coming days."
The extra planes from Quebec will arrive after a drone strike grounded one of the province's two planes that had been helping in the wildfire fight this week. The two Canadian-made CL-415 planes and their crews are sent to California every fall as part of an annual contract that has been in place for more than 30 years.
The L.A. County Fire Department said the plane, known as Quebec 1, was damaged after it was struck by a civilian drone at 1 p.m. Thursday over the city鈥檚 Pacific Palisades neighbourhood, where dozens of blocks have been reduced to smouldering rubble.
鈥淨uebec 1 sustained wing damage and remains grounded and out of service. There were no reported injuries,鈥� the fire department said in a social media statement.
Quebec鈥檚 Transport Department said the water bomber involved in the collision was manned by a pilot and co-pilot.
St茅phane Caron, prevention and communications co-ordinator at Quebec鈥檚 forest fire prevention agency, said the drone punctured the wing and remained embedded when the aircraft landed.
"For the moment, this plane cannot fly until the damage is repaired, and probably it will be next week when it can fly again," he said in an interview Friday.
The two additional water bombers heading south are the same CL-415 model designed for wildfires. The planes, which in Los Angeles are drawing water from the Pacific Ocean, can fill their tanks in about 12 seconds before returning to the fire, Caron said.
"Next week we'll send four other pilots and two technicians," he said, which will bring the province鈥檚 California contingent to 12 pilots and about six technicians.
Pascal Duclos, head pilot for the Quebec government's aerial service, told reporters Friday that the pilot and co-pilot inside the plane that collided with the drone didn't realize what had happened until the aircraft landed.
鈥淭he pilot who hit the drone didn鈥檛 know he hit the drone before he landed and looked at the hole in the wing,鈥� he said during a remote news conference from the Los Angeles area.
Quebecers deployed to California are in good spirits, Duclos said, despite some frustration about the drone incident.
鈥淭he morale is good," he said. "They鈥檙e happy to help do what they can for the region here."
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said it has launched an investigation into the collision. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a federal crime, punishable by up to 12 months in prison, to interfere with firefighting efforts on public lands,鈥� the agency said on its website Thursday.
The massive fires have killed at least 10 people and burned more than 10,000 homes and other structures. In addition to the Quebec government planes, helicopters belonging to 小蓝视频-based Coulson Aviation have also been deployed in the fight.
Global Affairs Canada said in a statement Friday that it was not aware of any Canadians killed or injured in the fires.
It said 4,476 Canadian citizens were registered as being in California according to a voluntary registration system that it urged Canadians to join.
Canadian Emergency Preparedness Minister Harjit Sajjan said Thursday that Canada was ready to deploy 250 firefighters, aircraft and other resources.
A statement from his department Friday said the air force is standing by to transport firefighting personnel and equipment if needed, while provincial efforts include Ontario being prepared to send two waterbombers and up to 200 personnel to the fight if requested.
Alberta, meanwhile, is sending up to 40 wildland firefighters with more personnel, waterbombers and contracted night-vision helicopters ready to deploy.
A spokesman for Defence Minister Bill Blair said Friday that Canada had yet to receive an official request for help from the United States, and won't be able to provide more details until that request is formally made. A CC-330 Royal Canadian Air Force plane is on standby to help transport people and equipment to California when needed.
On Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reiterated Canada鈥檚 support in a message on X. 鈥淚 spoke with (California Gov.) Gavin Newsom last night. We both know that Canada and the United States are more than just neighbours. We鈥檙e friends 鈥� especially when times get tough," he said. "California鈥檚 always had our back when we battle wildfires up north. Now, Canada鈥檚 got yours."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 10, 2025.
鈥� With files from Chuck Chiang in Vancouver and The Associated Press
Joe Bongiorno, The Canadian Press
