Ontario’s Doug Ford urges more federal assistance to fight wildfires across Canada

PICKERING — Ontario Premier Doug Ford is urging the federal government to put more national resources toward fighting wildfires, as nearly every province battles them.

He says the premiers raised the issue with Prime Minister Mark Carney last month when he met with them in Huntsville, Ont.

Ford says provinces frequently share firefighting resources to get through wildfire season but right now there are fires burning everywhere.

He says New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt asked Ontario for help in fighting their wildfires, but Ontario could not spare any resources.

There have been 467 fires to date this year in Ontario, far more than 275 at this time last year, but under the 10-year average of 583.

Ontario’s fires include two wildfires in Kawartha Lakes, a region of cottage country, where one is now classified as being held while the other is still out of control.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 14, 2025.

Allison Jones, The Canadian Press