The ability to share firefighters, water bombers and other resources reached the breaking point this summer, when numerous wildfires burned across Western Canada. The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, which co-ordinates sharing of personnel and equipment coast to coast, reported that demand for resources was “extreme.” …Sharing resources makes a lot of sense. Fixed budgets for wildland firefighting in large provinces such as Ontario, B.C. and Alberta have neared $200-million or more in recent years. …But with wildfire activity surging in so many different places simultaneously, relying heavily on neighbours is becoming a riskier strategy. Does Canada have enough crews, choppers and water bombers to fight wildfires amid the 21st century’s rapidly warming climate? Recent NPL data suggest that it does not. …After 2023′s disastrous fire season, political momentum for increasing resources has increased. Many of these purchases have received support from Ottawa. [to access the full story a Globe & Mail subscription is required]