The first group of Australian and New Zealand firefighters are to return home tomorrow (AEST) after a month helping fight bushfires in the US.
The Idaho-based National Interagency Fire Center says 74 specialists that arrived in July and early August are to return home.
In a social media post, the centre says they are grateful for the work done by the group, which included a 15-person incident management team.
It says the group were involved in command and control, planning, logistics, operations and safety oversight on fire lines including in Umpqua National Forest, Oregon.
A second group of 240 Australian and NZ firefighters who arrived in mid-August are still working across the American North West and Great Basin (western US) areas.
NORTH AMERICAN UPDATE: 14 large blazes were among 148 new fires reported overnight (AEST), the Idaho centre says. Crews are working to contain 93 large bushfires involving 22,356 personnel. US Air Force airtankers and soldiers have also been deployed. In Canada, there were 45 new fires with 617 burning across the country.
FIRST GROUP PROVIDED EARLY BOOST
The centre says these firefighters have brought a diverse range of skills and expertise including aviation operations, fire line leadership, prevention and mitigation strategies, and emergency communications support.
Their presence boosted staffing numbers during sustained bushfire activity and helped ensure safe, effective and well-coordinated operations.
The centre says the firefighters are all fully qualified to US standards and are fully embedded into local incident command operations.
Another group of 41 Anzac firefighters are fighting bushfires in Canada and are not due to return until mid-September.
The NSW Rural Fire Service has two helicopters fighting fires in France as well, its first overseas deployment for its fleet, and a Boeing 737 air tanker in the US.
