Beyond borders and containment lines

A five-hour drive northwest of Edmonton is the Town of Peace River – a rural community in a beautiful river valley in the heart of “Peace Country”. Like many communities in northern Alberta, the town’s provincial building proudly displays the flags of Canada and Alberta outside, as per standard protocol. Unlike most communities in the province, however, there is another flag hanging inside – within the workspace of an employee of Alberta Wildfire – and one that might not be as easily recognizable to most visitors who don’t know its owner.

Green, white and red, it is the national flag of Mexico, which represents the original nationality of the owner, Jorge Camacho-Tornero, an international firefighter who now makes Alberta his year-round home as a full-time forest officer and investigator. While the flag is always there, Camacho-Tornero is often out supervising fire crews, investigating wildfires, or completing other forestry-related tasks – assignments for which he’s developed an expertise in two countries over many years.

“I always wanted to be a firefighter and Mexico gave me that opportunity – with Canada adding so much to build on what I came here with,” said Camacho-Tornero. “I am very grateful to Mexico and Canada for many rich life and career opportunities, which I have enjoyed in both countries.”

While his successful career transition – from his roots in his homeland of Mexico to Canada – is the result of his initiative and competency, the initial opportunity to prove himself was made possible by a long-standing, cross-border agreement between the two countries, which has now been in place for 25 years.

Firefighters from Jalisco, Mexico, work to extinguish a hotspot on the Semo Wildfire Complex in the High Level Forest Area in northern Alberta (August 2024). Image Credit: Alberta Wildfire.

A “Sister-State” since 1999

The Province of Alberta and the State of Jalisco have cooperated over several decades, initially with agricultural exchanges in the cattle and hog sectors in the early 1990s. An economic cooperation agreement in 1998 was followed by a more comprehensive one – a “Sister-State” relationship – signed in June 1999, which included culture, resource development, tourism, education, and training.

Since then, other areas of cooperation have been added, including forestry and collaboration on training for firefighters. This cooperation, which continues today, was recently highlighted with firefighters from Jalisco coming to Alberta over the past two years to assist with several out-of-control wildfires. While the 2023 fire season was the worst on record for Alberta, 2024 has also been a very challenging season – one that has seen community evacuations and the province once again calling upon key partners to augment its wildfire suppression ranks.

After a somewhat rainy spring in northern Alberta, it looked like 2024 might be a much quieter season, but that changed quickly when things heated up in late June and into July – leading to calls for assistance across Canada and to other countries, including Mexico. By late July, 100 Jalisco firefighters had arrived in Edmonton and were quickly dispatched north to the High Level Forest Area to assist crews on the Semo Wildfire Complex (a group of fires burning in proximity), and other large wildfires in the forest area, which had already caused the evacuation of John D’Or Prairie, Fox Lake and Garden River – three communities within the Little Red River Cree Nation (LRRCN).

“Firefighters from Jalisco have brought considerable energy and expertise to Alberta when we have needed it most.” – Terry Jessiman, Manager, High Level Forest Area

Along with other international and Canadian firefighters, including fire crews from LRRCN – more than 700 personnel in total at one point – the efforts of Jalisco firefighters to build containment lines, suppress hotspots, and other tasks along the perimeters of the Semo Wildfire Complex, were integral to the progress that allowed LRRCN residents to return to their homes in early August.

“We recognize the value of our relationship with the state of Jalisco,” said Terry Jessiman, manager of the High Level Forest Area, where the entire Mexican contingent was assigned in 2024. “Firefighters from Jalisco have brought considerable energy and expertise to Alberta when we have needed it most.”

As part of this large team effort, Camacho-Tornero was temporarily assigned to the High Level Forest Area – as a situation unit leader – to work closely with the primarily Spanish-speaking Jalisco (and Costa Rican) crews and their agency representatives on the Semo Wildfire Complex – providing bilingual support and firefighting expertise, drawn from his solid understanding of both the Canadian and Mexican approaches to fire suppression. It was a role he has filled on several occasions previously and the latest example where his vast fire experience, and interpersonal and language skills, have been used to the mutual benefit of Alberta and Jalisco firefighting crews.

A firefighter from Jalisco, Mexico, works to extinguish a hotspot on the Semo Wildfire Complex in the High Level Forest Area in northern Alberta (August 2024). Image Credit: Alberta Wildfire.

A move from Mexico to Canada

Starting initially as a seasonal firefighter in 2008, Camacho-Tornero moved to the Town of Peace River in 2014 and eventually obtained his citizenship. He was the oldest recruit in the province with Alberta Wildfire, but with his warm, easy-going personality and extensive experience – ranging from the frontlines of wildfires across Mexico and beyond, to his service as the local fire chief in his home community of San Martin de Hidalgo in Jalisco – he quickly fit in, later securing full-time, year-round employment and greater responsibilities.

Now fluent in both English and Spanish, he has established himself as a solid performer in the various roles he has taken on, including a recent short-term, fire investigation assignment in Alaska.

“Jorge has not only been an extremely competent firefighter, forest officer and fire investigator, but also a strong symbol of our close relationship with the State of Jalisco,” said Kerry Rudneski, manager for the Peace River Forest Area.

These sentiments are shared by his colleagues, who appreciate his contributions.

“He is always helpful and reliable – as well as resilient, smart, engaging, empathetic and a very hard worker,” said Andrea Coote, a wildfire technologist with the Peace River Forest Area. “Jorge is also someone the Alberta Wildfire team has come to rely on when Jalisco firefighters come to help – showing a genuine camaraderie with his Mexican compatriots and briefing them rapidly in Spanish to ensure clarity in communication.”

The move north still came with its share of challenges. Primary among them were the adjustments to culture, language and, of course, the weather, which is much colder than what Camacho-Tornero was used to in Jalisco. Throughout these challenges he has persevered, achieving two key parts of his overall dream – learning English and bringing his family to Canada. Now all Canadian citizens, he has one son who is also a wildland firefighter – working seasonally as a crew leader.

Jorge Camacho-Tornero (green t-shirt) provides direction during training for firefighters at the Agua Brava Training Centre (La Primavera Forest) in Jalisco, Mexico (January 2011). Image Credit: Abundio Bustos-Santana, Agua Brava Training Centre.

Celebrating 25 years of cooperation

As significant as his contributions have been, Camacho-Tornero is still only a small part of the much broader story of a very successful 25-year, international relationship, which has included mutual training opportunities and the deployment of Jalisco firefighters to Alberta (and other parts of Canada) during several wildfire seasons. The mutual appreciation and camaraderie among fire professionals is evident.

“As part of the Mexican team assisting Alberta Wildfire and Canadian firefighters on several occasions over the years, each experience has been a very positive one,” said Hector Trejo-Varela, a long-time firefighter and now agency representative from Guadalajara, the capital of the State of Jalisco. “Our firefighters have had the opportunity to meet new people, experience a larger scale of wildfire and the extensive use of air support and heavy equipment, and learn firefighting and containment tactics that sometimes differ from those we use to manage forest fires in Mexico.”

While varied fire suppression tactics, and the shared concept of containment, are always important, it is the trust, confidence and goodwill fostered among these firefighters from across two borders that has led to the constructive collaboration seen over the past 25 years.

In support of this “Sister-State” relationship, Camacho-Tornero’s contributions across the province and beyond have been significant in the building and blending of cultures, communication and wildfire containment expertise that have been beneficial to all. While the Mexican flag in his Peace River office symbolizes his roots and early career, his more recent work clearly demonstrates his commitment to Canada and cross-border cooperation.

Working together with diligent firefighters from Canada, Mexico, and other countries, Camacho-Tornero has made a significant difference during the 2024 wildfire season. The international firefighter plays a vital role, as part of a much larger team, in protecting lives, livelihoods, communities and forest areas in northern Alberta, while highlighting that the key to this interagency relationship’s success extends well beyond borders and containment lines.

Jorge Camacho-Tornero provides a safety and operational briefing to firefighters from Jalisco, Mexico, in Peace River, Alberta (July 2015). Image Credit: Alberta Wildfire.

Mark Giles is a seasonal information officer with Alberta Wildfire (Forestry and Parks). He is also a retired Calgary police officer, Government of Canada communications manager, and senior military public affairs officer. During the 2024 fire season, he supported the Peace River and High Level forest areas, including the Semo Wildfire Complex that threatened several communities in northern Alberta.