L.A. wildfires: Alberta sending water bombers, night-vision helicopters to California

Alberta is pitching in to help battle the wildfires ravaging parts of Los Angeles.

Premier Danielle Smith says the province will send water bombers, night-vision helicopters and incident command team support to California.

“Good neighbours are always there for each other in times of need, and we will assist our American friends in any way they need during this crisis,” Smith wrote on X.

Smith adds Alberta is also “actively working” with Ottawa and the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) to assess the wildfire-fighting needs in L.A.

In a statement to CityNews — Alberta wildfire said:

“In 2023, the United States extended their support to us in our time of need, and we are more than willing to reciprocate that assistance now to our good neighbours.”

Canada’s defence minister also has military on standby, ready to help fight the fire.

Water-bombing pilots and crews from Quebec and a British Columbia company are already fighting the wind-whipped flames in the Southern California city.

Officials have said hurricane-force winds began igniting one neighbourhood after another on Wednesday in the coastal neighbourhood of Pacific Palisades and in Altadena, near Pasadena.

Five people have died in the fires, more than 100,000 people have been forced from their homes and famous landmarks have come under threat.

Nearly 2,000 homes, businesses and other structures have been destroyed and the number is expected to increase.

Morgan kunitz is an Edmontonian who travelled to Los Angeles for vacation, arriving last Friday and were planning to arrive in Hollywood on Wednesday, but they were turned away.

“It wasn’t this hazy last night — it smells like a house fire. In Alberta, we’re used to these days regularly — but it’s not just a wood smell,” said Kunitz.

Kunitz says she and her family are booked on a flight back to Edmonton on Friday — telling CityNews the community is on-edge.

“There was actually a little fire in the toaster at the hotel, and everyone was like, ‘fire extinguisher, high alert!” really scared of the ability to call a fire department right now,” said Kunitz.