22 July 2024
SA lends a hand as Canadian bushfires rage
South Australia firefighters have travelled to Canada to assist with the international effort to contain wildfires that continue to rage across the country.
The South Australian Country Fire Service has answered the call to send volunteers and staff to assist Canada’s incident management and fireground leadership teams in the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia.
The nine firefighters will join 90 other personnel from across the country for the deployment, which could last up to 40 days.
Heatwave conditions and severe winds have caused hundreds of wildfires to burn across Canada, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate their homes.
The South Australian crews will join local Canadian firefighters and will operate from control centres. Those who are trained in arduous firefighting will be in placed in frontline positions to help battle active fires.
It is the second time in as many years that South Australian firefighters have travelled to Canada to help battle wildfires.
State Duty Commander Matt Davis said the Country Fire Service embraced opportunities to support overseas agencies.
“CFS firefighters are highly trained and highly respected, and we will not only support Canadian firefighters but also refine and gain additional skills to better protect our communities ahead of the fire danger season.”
CFS Divisional Commander Phil Tapscott has travelled to Canada to support the fire-fighting effort.
“I feel humbled and honoured to have this opportunity to travel to Canada to support their firefighters in a time of need and to deploy the skills I have learned over the years and to learn some new ones," he said
"These opportunities always reaffirm that what we do here in the CFS if of a very high quality."