- TIMBERBIZ.COM.AU - A La Une - 13/Aug 00:15

Kiwi firefighters home from Canada, more deployments to follow

Fire and Emergency New Zealand is welcoming 50 firefighters home this week from Canada, where they’ve been combating severe wildfires in Cross Lake, Manitoba. Source: Timberbiz Deputy National Commander Steph Rotarangi says the crews have spent the past five weeks working in tough and challenging conditions alongside firefighters from Canada and several other countries. “This has been an arduous deployment for our people, where they have often been living and working in remote areas and contending with the local wildlife as well as the normal hazards of a fireground,” she says. “Our Kiwi firefighters are known for their ability to get the tough jobs done and we welcome them home with great pride in the work they have done, and the way they have represented Fire and Emergency and Aotearoa.” A seven-person specialist team arrived back in New Zealand today (13 August) and will be followed later in the week by the 43-person taskforce of firefighters. Two further deployments have been confirmed in response to additional requests from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. A team of four specialists departed for Alberta, Canada last week as part of New Zealand’s ongoing support to Canada and another team of four will leave for Manitoba today (13 August). Those going to Manitoba are part of an eight-person Incident Management Team comprising experienced personnel from New Zealand and Australia. “These deployments strengthen our international partnerships and provide our people with valuable experience fighting forest wildfires, which will benefit their work during the upcoming New Zealand wildfire season,” Steph Rotarangi says. Fire and Emergency has agreements with both Canada and the United States to provide mutual assistance.