As wildfires proceed to burn from northwest Ontario to British Columbia, Canada is getting help from near and much, and really far.
Southern Highlands – Recent South Wales Rural Fire Service in Australia says a 96-personnel-strong Australian contingent of firefighters and specialists have deployed to Canada for five weeks.
The service says the deployment is in response to a request from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says in a tweet that, “When our mates need assistance, Australia is there.”
A post on social media platform X from the official account for the Australian High Commissioner to Canada, Kate Logan, says the crews “are on their strategy to support their Canadian colleagues battle wildfires in Alberta.”
In Manitoba alone, the variety of evacuees from fires has reached 21,000, and crews have come from other provinces and the US.
“Thanks to our brave Aussie firefighters heading to assist battle the Alberta wildfires in Canada. Stay protected and thanks on your service,” Albanese said on the social media platform X on Monday.
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Australia also sent firefighters to Canada in 2024 to assist fight an enormous blaze that forced the evacuation of Jasper National Park, in addition to other fires earlier that month in British Columbia.
The Yukon government, meanwhile, says it’s sending 20 sustained-action firefighters to fight wildfires in Alberta and will likely be there for nearly three weeks.
Hundreds also remained out of their homes in Saskatchewan and Alberta, including between 10,000 and 15,000 in Saskatchewan alone.
In British Columbia, the provincial wildfire service said Monday that crews were preparing for “extreme fire behaviour” within the province’s northeast as a second dry cold front was forecast to maneuver through.
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