US President Trump announced that the United States and Canada have reached a deal, stating he had a good conversation with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. The development marks a significant turn in bilateral relations, which Carney had previously described as proceeding with significant complexity.

Diplomatic breakthrough

Trump confirmed the agreement following direct talks with Carney, saying the two leaders had a good conversation and that the two nations have come to a deal. The announcement follows a period of intense diplomatic engagement between Washington and Ottawa.

Canada's negotiating stance

Carney had earlier emphasized that Canada would not conduct the talks in public, underscoring the sensitivity of the issues under discussion. The Prime Minister's approach reflected the careful navigation required in current Canada-US relations, preserving diplomatic flexibility by avoiding public disclosure of negotiation details.

The Honourable Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience, and the Honourable Mandy Gull-Masty, Minister of Indigenous Services, provided an update on the 2026 wildfire season on August 18, 2026. The announcement followed a technical briefing hosted by Government of Canada officials to outline the seasonal outlook. As of today, there are 582 active wildfires nationally, including 31 that are out of control with full response. In total this season, there have been 4,793 fires and 4.1 million hectares burned.

Last year, at this time, Canada saw fewer fires (4,584 by mid-August) but a more significant number of hectares burned (7.7 million). The 2026 wildfire season has been shaped by prolonged periods of heat, low humidity and dry conditions in several parts of the country. Current 2026 wildfire activity remains below the five-year average, but fire danger will continue to be high over the remainder of the summer and early fall.

Regional Impact and Federal Response

In mid-July, underlying conditions led to a series of intense wildfires in Northwestern Ontario that caused significant damage and precipitated the evacuation of a number of communities, including numerous First Nations. On July 15, the federal government received a precautionary Request for Federal Assistance (RFA) from Ontario which resulted in the evacuation of Eabametoong First Nation (Fort Hope) by the Canadian Armed Forces starting on July 18.

Southern British Columbia also experienced persistent heat and below-normal precipitation in July and August, contributing to intense wildfire activity in the Fraser Canyon and Okanagan Valley. On August 8, in the days after the evacuation of the region surrounding Summerland and Peachland, a Request for Federal Assistance from British Columbia was approved to provide shelter and accommodations for people displaced by the wildfires. Given the ongoing wildfire activity, with more than 10,000 people remaining under evacuation orders, the federal government continues to work closely with British Columbia to support the provincially-led wildfire response.

Over 500 international firefighters from Mexico, Costa Rica, New Zealand and Australia have provided assistance to Ontario and British Columbia over the course of the summer. This international support has complemented the efforts of Canadian firefighters and emergency responders working to protect communities and critical infrastructure.

Forecast and Outlook

Looking ahead, Environment and Climate Change Canada’s weather forecast points to above-average temperatures across much of Canada from August through September. These conditions, combined with ongoing drought and dryness in some regions may mean that elevated wildfire risk persists in the weeks ahead.

For the remainder of August, modelling by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) indicates that fires in southern British Columbia are expected to remain active, but forecasted precipitation could help reduce activity. Localized areas of higher-than-normal fire danger are expected to persist for northern British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories, northwestern Quebec, and Nunavut.

In September, wildland fire danger is expected to be higher than normal across most of Canada, except in Alberta and Saskatchewan. In northern areas, however, fire danger is usually low at this time of year. This means that while conditions may be above normal, large fires and significant fire growth are not necessarily expected.

Support for First Nations

Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) is working closely with First Nations communities, provinces, territories, and other partners to support wildfire response and recovery. Through its Emergency Management Assistance Program (EMAP) ISC will reimburse 100 percent of eligible response costs for First Nations affected by wildfires. This includes evacuation transportation and accommodations, food, security, and mental health and wellness supports. Funding can also support measures that help communities safely shelter in place, where appropriate, to get people through these challenging circumstances. ISC also continues to place greater emphasis on providing practical resources such as air purifiers, air scrubbers, and generators supported by EMAP. This helps communities manage smoke and poor air quality and may reduce the need for broader evacuations.

Event Details

The events took place on Tuesday, August 18, 2026. Participation was limited to accredited members of the Press Gallery. Media who are not members may contact pressres2@parl.gc.ca to request temporary access.

Simultaneous translation and audio feed were available for media on-site. Public Safety Canada invites the public to follow updates on X, LinkedIn, and YouTube.