Government of Canada announces substantial completion of a new $34.6M Parks Canada National Fire Equipment Cache

Strategic location in Banff National Park supports wildfire response throughout the Mountain Parks and across Canada

BANFF NATIONAL PARK, AB, Sept. 11, 2026 /CNW/ -- As climate change continues to drive more frequent, intense, and unpredictable wildfires, the risks to the safety and security of Canadians and their communities are increasing. Wildfires can threaten lives, damage critical infrastructure, disrupt economic activity and impact the ecological health of landscapes in Canada. Investments such as the Parks Canada National Fire Equipment Cache help strengthen Canada's wildfire preparedness and response capacity while supporting long-term resilience.

The Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature, the Honourable Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada, meet with members of Parks Canada’s wildfire team and other Parks Canada staff inside the Parks Canada’s National Fire Equipment Cache located in Banff National Park. Credit: Parks Canada

Yesterday, the Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature, and the Honourable Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada, announced the completion of the new Parks Canada National Fire Equipment Cache located in Banff National Park made possible through a federal investment of $34.6 million. The facility serves as a national hub and equipment storage location for specialized wildfire management equipment and will strengthen Parks Canada's capacity to prepare for, respond to, and support wildfire operations across the country.

Equipment stored at the National Fire Equipment Cache is maintained in a constant state of operational readiness and can be quickly mobilized to support wildfire response efforts in Parks Canada administered places across the country. Resources can also be shared with provincial and territorial partners through Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, helping improve coordination and surge capacity during periods of elevated wildfire activity.

Since 2021, the Government of Canada has invested approximately $130 million in the National Wildfire Management Program at Parks Canada. Through this program, Parks Canada works closely with provinces, territories, Indigenous partners, local communities, and federal organizations to reduce wildfire risk, enhance public safety, protect critical infrastructure, and maintain ecological integrity.

The Government of Canada continues to invest in Parks Canada's assets and capabilities to address the impacts of climate change, safeguard Canadians and visitors, support healthy ecosystems, and strengthen the country's ability to respond to and recover from wildfires.

Quotes

"Canadians recognize that climate change is increasing wildfire risks across the country. By investing in a new National Fire Equipment Cache for Parks Canada, we're helping to protect people, communities, and the natural places Canadians love and cherish. Strengthening Parks Canada's ability to respond to wildfires supports the long-term protection of communities and natural ecosystems while enhancing the ability to support partners across the country."

The Honourable Julie Dabrusin,
Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature 

"Canadians need to know that their governments are ready to act when wildfires threaten their communities. This new National Fire Equipment Cache is a major federal investment in that readiness. It puts critical equipment where it can be mobilized quickly, strengthens Parks Canada's ability to protect people and places, and gives us greater capacity to support our provincial, territorial, Indigenous and international partners when they need us most."   

The Honourable Eleanor Olszewski,
Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada

Quick Facts

• Parks Canada is the only federal organization that responds directly to wildfires on the ground, with similar roles and capabilities as provincial-territorial wildfire agencies. Parks Canada has been building its capacity and expertise in wildfire management for over a century, and the National Fire Management Program has supported emergency response to other types of incidents including Hurricane Fiona (2022). 
• Parks Canada is responsible for wildland fire management across 350,000 km² of federal Crown lands (approximately the size of Germany or six times the land mass of Nova Scotia). This includes land areas that contain or are directly adjacent to communities, visitor facilities, critical infrastructure and transportation corridors such as the Trans-Canada Highway.
• In the last five years, Parks Canada has managed over 500 wildfires within national parks and national historic sites.
• Parks Canada uses a variety of tools and strategies, including prescribed fire, forest thinning, the creation of community fire guards, and the application of FireSmart™ Canada guidelines, to reduce the impacts of wildfires and protect the public, communities, and infrastructure. In the last five years, Parks Canada has conducted more than 142 wildfire risk-reduction initiatives in 28 national parks and national historic sites across the country.
• As a member of the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, Parks Canada collaborates with fire management agencies across Canada and internationally to provide equipment and highly trained personnel when wildfire response assistance is requested.
• In the last five years, Parks Canada has responded to 50 requests for assistance by deploying wildfire management specialists and equipment to support provincial, territorial, and international wildfire incidents, including the Semo Wildfire Complex in Alberta, the Weyakwin Wildfire Complex in Saskatchewan, the Annapolis Valley Fire in Nova Scotia, and the Red Rock Fire in Idaho.

Related Documents

• News Release: The Government of Canada provides an update regarding the 2026 wildfire season – July update
• News Release: Government of Canada announces National Fire Equipment Cache in Banff National Park
• Backgrounder: 2021 Funding for Parks Canada Wildfire Resilience Program
• Backgrounder: Parks Canada National Fire Equipment Cache Completion September 2026

Related Links

• Parks Canada website
• Parks Canada fire management
• Banff National Park 

SOURCE Parks Canada (HQ)

Contacts: Keean Nembhard, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, 819-230-1557, [email protected]; Media Relations, Parks Canada, 855-862-1812, [email protected]