By Craig Lord A helicopter works on the Dryden Creek Wildfire just north of Squamish, B.C. on Wednesday, June 11, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Tijana Martin The federal government has set up Canada’s first-ever reserve of firefighting aircraft to help provinces and territories respond to the 2026 wildfire season. The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, or CIFFC, has leased 10 aircraft and two unspecified support assets for 150 days starting this month, thanks to a $317-million spending allocation in the federal budget. The government said in a news release Monday that the Pan-Canadian Aerial Asset Program will boost national firefighting surge capacity by increasing provincial and territorial access to aircraft during periods of intense wildfire activity. Provincial and territorial wildfire agencies will be able to request the use of four…
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