The United States and Canada will join forces this week to fight wildfires, as a new $3.9-billion agreement with the US is being finalized.

The deal with the United States, the Canadian government said in a joint statement, is a “critical first step” to protect Canadian properties from wildfires.

The agreement is to be finalized later this month.

The Canadian government has a “very long way to go” to combat the fires, said Canada’s Environment Minister Catherine McKenna.

The accord “will be a significant step forward in the fight against the wildfires that are raging across the country.”

The two countries have been fighting wildfires in western Canada since mid-August.

The two sides have not said exactly how much money will be allocated, but McKenna has said the funding will be a “significant contribution” to Canada’s wildfire response.

The United Kingdom and Australia, the two largest contributors to Canada, have also committed to help fund the effort.

A US official said on Monday that the US was “very happy” to help Canada with its wildfire effort.

Canada’s wildfires in August: 1,933 fires have burned 2,664,639 hectares.

More than 60,000 people have been displaced, including 8,000 Canadians.