The federal government leases 10 new firefighting aircraft to support wildfire response as the 2026 wildfire season gets underway. Multiple sources report that the aircraft are made available for use by provincial and territorial wildfire agencies, which can request them during active incidents. The arrangement expands the types of aircraft available for firefighting operations, including air tankers used for water or fire retardant drops, a spotter aircraft to help locate and assess fires, and heavy-lift helicopters used to transport personnel and equipment. While the aircraft are leased federally, deployment depends on requests from wildfire agencies and operational needs in the field. The federal government says the aircraft are intended to strengthen readiness ahead of peak fire conditions, providing additional aerial capacity for suppression and support. The sources align on the number of aircraft and the core categories of equipment included in the lease, describing a mix of fixed-wing and helicopter assets brought online for the season.