Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Friday that California has joined the Northwest Wildland Fire Fighting Compact, a multi-jurisdictional agreement that allows members to share firefighting resources, technology and expertise. Nevada also joined the compact, bringing the total number of members to thirteen.
The compact, established in 1998, includes U.S. states and Canadian provinces and territories. Its purpose is to help fight wildfires that have grown too large for a single jurisdiction to handle. Current members include Alberta, Yukon Territory, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, British Columbia, Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Montana and Hawaii.
The partnership comes as a crucial time, according to Newsom, who said the federal government’s recent budget cuts and proposed reorganization of the U.S. Forest Service threaten the safety of communities across the country.
“California is proud to join forces with our northwestern neighbors to fight catastrophic wildfire,” said Newsom. “We’re all on the front lines of this worsening wildfire threat—and by joining our collective resources together, we will be even more effective in protecting our communities.”
Joining the NW Compact will give California access to more firefighting resources during large-scale incidents. It will also allow California firefighters to gain experience by helping with fire suppression efforts in other member regions, which, in turn, strengthens their readiness at home.
According to Joe Tyler, Director and Fire Chief of Cal-FIRE, “Wildfire is no longer a problem that stops at our borders and state lines. By joining the NW Compact, we’re building stronger connections, sharing knowledge, and ensuring that when fires threaten, we can respond faster and more effectively.”
California’s Investment in Wildfire Preparedness
The NW Compact membership is the latest in a series of steps the state has taken to improve its wildfire readiness. The Governor’s office noted that California’s landscapes face increasing wildfire threats due to climate change, including hotter temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns and more frequent extreme wind events.
Over the past five years, Cal-FIRE has nearly doubled its workforce by adding an average of 1,800 full-time and 600 seasonal positions annually. The agency plans to hire thousands of additional firefighters and other professionals in the coming years.
California has invested more than $5 billion in wildfire and forest resilience since 2019. In recent months, the Governor has announced millions of dollars in investments for fire prevention projects, with 90 new vegetation management projects already fast-tracked for approval.
