Mexican firefighters spent a day training with Ontario equipment before being assigned to fires across Ontario. Photo courtesy Alison Bezubiak AFFES

Ontario is getting some help from Mexico in dealing with forest fires in northern Ontario.

Over one hundred firefighters arrived in Thunder Bay on Monday.

They are getting prepared to assist Ontario Fire Rangers battling wildfires across the region.

Some will be deployed to the Red Lake area in the next day or so.

Others will be sent to northeastern Ontario.

The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) brokers the movement of personnel and equipment resources when needed nationally.

CIFFC and its member agencies have resource-sharing agreements with the United States, Australia, Mexico and New Zealand.

Mexico last provided firefighting support to Ontario in 2021.

Pilot Colby Smith cleans the windshield of one-of-three single-seater Minnesota AT-802 waterbombers presently being used for firefighting in Ontario, June 2023. Photo Chris Marchand/AFFES

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry is also getting aid from Minnesota.

The state has provided three Fireboss AT-802 aircraft that are working on fires in the northwest.

Mexican crew photo: Alison Bezubiak/AFFES