Published on Wednesday, August 12, 2026
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Costa Rica has dispatched 102 wildland firefighters to Canada to help contain massive wildfires that have scorched millions of acres across the country, the Costa Rican Fire Department announced.

The contingent includes 70 forest fire specialists from the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) and 33 officials from the Costa Rican Fire Department. 

The team departed Wednesday from the Juan Santamaría International Airport, located in Alajuela, and will spend a month in British Columbia, Canada’s westernmost province, where dense forests and grasslands have been affected by wildfire activity.

The Costa Rican brigades are reinforcing British Columbia Wildfire Service (BCWS) operations following a formal request from the Canadian government that was conveyed through the Canadian Embassy in Costa Rica.


The Costa Rican firefighters will work alongside crews from Mexico, Australia, the United States and Canada. The Costa Rican Fire Department praised the multinational response and highlighted the work already being carried out by international teams on the ground.


The BCWS thanked Costa Rica for its support in a social media post, saying it “looks forward to working alongside the Costa Rica team in the weeks ahead.”

“These experienced firefighters will join crews from across Canada and around the world, helping strengthen our response capacity as we continue responding to wildfire activity across the province,” the organization said in its statement.

The BCWS said the deployment is part of international mutual aid partnerships coordinated by the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, or CIFFC.

“Countries work together to support one another when wildfire activity exceeds available local resources. When one country needs help, others answer the call,” the organization said.

Since 2023, Costa Rica has contributed about 542 firefighters to Canada’s wildfire response. Under the bilateral agreement, Canada covers all expenses for visiting crews, including airfare, insurance, equipment, meals and lodging.

According to the Canadian Broadcasting Corp., British Columbia declared a state of emergency Saturday after thousands of people in the western Canadian province were ordered to evacuate as a fast-moving wildfire nearly doubled in size overnight.

The wildfire was burning out of control and had grown rapidly to about 9,500 hectares, or 23,500 acres, prompting evacuation orders.

A state of emergency gives the provincial government immediate access to special powers, including the ability to impose travel restrictions, protect supplies from price gouging and use specific tools to coordinate rescue operations.


Hot and dry conditions in British Columbia have increased the risk of additional fires spreading. About 1,500 firefighting personnel were battling more than 100 fires across the province, which had issued 40 evacuation orders and 49 evacuation alerts.


Across Canada, wildfires have burned about 4 million hectares, or 9.9 million acres, this year, according to the CIFFC.


SINAC is the government agency responsible for managing Costa Rica’s national parks and protected areas.

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What other actions should Costa Rica take to support Canada during this wildfire emergency? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com