The Yukon government is sending 21 wildland fire personnel to support wildfire response operations in Alberta.

The firefighters, who left Whitehorse Tuesday, include six initial attack crews from the Dawson City and Whitehorse regions.

The firefighting crews will be joined by an agency representative and an additional wildland fire officer. The specifics of this deployment may change as the situation evolves in Alberta.

The Yukoners will be deployed for up to 19 days, including travel, depending on the needs of the receiving agency.

The situation will be continually reassessed to ensure that Alberta is provided maximum possible assistance while remaining prepared to manage any incidents that develop at home.

As a member of the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, the Yukon responds when another province or territory requests help.

Yukon firefighters were among the out-of-province crews who responded to the 2016 Fort McMurray, Alta. fire.

With snow on the ground in many communities, fire danger in the Yukon is relatively low, the government said Tuesday.

The long-range weather forecast, however, calls for temperatures in the low 20s C for many areas of the territory by next week.

Adequate crews will remain at all Yukon fire bases to respond to incidents at home, the government said.

“We are thinking of everyone who has been forced from their homes, those on evacuation alert and the brave firefighters tackling the intense fire activity across Alberta,” said Community Services Minister Richard Mostyn.

“We will continue assessing our Yukon resources and send all the help we can over the coming days.”

Alberta dispatchers were among the help the Yukon received in 2022 during a period of intense fires that resulted in the temporary closure of the North Klondike Highway.

Provinces and territories share firefighting resources within Canada through the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) mutual aid resource sharing agreement.

If the fire danger in the Yukon changes, personnel can be recalled within 24 hours.

Mostyn initially disclosed the government’s plans last weekend in a Facebook post.

More than 100 wildfires are burning in the province, many out of control, and Premier Danielle Smith has declared a state of emergency.

More than 24,000 people are still out of their homes.

“We know firsthand how serious, stressful and challenging these situations are,” Mostyn wrote in his post.

“Yukon firefighters have a long history of helping our neighbours and other jurisdictions during difficult fire seasons. We will continue to assess our Yukon resources and we will send all we can to help over the coming days,” the minister added.

Other provinces, including Quebec and Ontario, have also sent firefighters to Alberta.