Victorian firefighters are briefed ahead of their departure to Canada via Brisbane. Photo: Vic Emergency
A 96-strong contingent of Australian firefighters has left for Canada to join in the fight against 200-plus bushfires that have burnt 2.3 million hectares and spread smoke as far as Europe.
From NSW, 54 firefighters flew out of Sydney on Monday in response to a formal request for help from Canada’s Interagency Forest Fire Centre.
The NSW Fire Service’s Boeing 737 fire tanker is already in California and helping in firefighting efforts.
The team comprises 36 members from the NSW Rural Fire Service, 16 from the National Parks and Wildlife Service, and two from Forestry Corporation NSW.
There are incident management specialists and frontline firefighters, all with experience in fighting fires within Australia and overseas.
NSW Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib says they understand the destructive power of bush and forest fires and are ready to support their Canadian colleagues.
Commissioner of the RFS Rob Rogers says NSW has a long tradition of international firefighting, with previous deployments to Canada, over the last 20 years.
“Our B737 Large Air Tanker (LAT), Marie Bashir, is in California providing assistance,” he explains.
“This contingent, along with the LAT, demonstrates the depth of capability we can offer, not just on the ground but also in the air, to assist international partners during their times of need,” he says.
VICTORIA SENDS TEAM TO HELP OUT
A 21-strong team from Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic) left for Alberta on Sunday, June 8, and stopped off in Brisbane for a briefing at the start of a month-long deployment.
Two firefighters are from Albury but the rest are from Melbourne, according to VicEmergency
FFMVic’s firefighters have extensive experience in difficult and remote-area firefighting.
In 2024, 26 Victorian firefighters travelled to British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba and in 2023, 115 Victorians supported Canada’s firefighters as over 420 fires raged across the country.
Canadian firefighters have returned the favour when they flew over to support Victorian firefighters during the 2019-20 bushfires.
Acting Emergency Management Commissioner Tim Wiebusch says his crews are highly skilled and experienced in responding to fires in challenging terrain.
“It’s great we can continue to support Canada when they need it the most, as they have done for us previously,” he says.
FFMVic Chief Fire Officer, Chris Hardman AFSM says that “the terrain may be challenging, and the trees and wildlife are very different, but FFMVic staff are experienced in fighting fires in these conditions”.
