(CFJC Today/File photo).

By Aaron Schulze

19 Hour Flight to Help the Fight

Australia sending 34 firefighting personnel to B.C.

Jul 26, 2021 | 2:45 PM

KAMLOOPS – B.C. will welcome 34 Australian firefighting personnel to assist in the province’s wildfire response.

The Australian contingent will include one nine-person incident management team and various specialized operational leadership roles, such as task force leaders, divisional supervisors and technical specialists.

The Aussie firefighters will arrive in Vancouver at about 5:30 p.m. pacific time on Tuesday (July 27). After they have been briefed on the current wildfire situation, they will receive their assignments and be deployed on wildfires under the direction of B.C. Wildfire Service.

“Australia and Canada have a long history of helping each other out when wildfire activity is high,” Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development Katrine Conroy stated. “During this extremely challenging fire season, we greatly appreciate the support we’re receiving from Canadian provinces, the federal government and our partners abroad.”

The province stated strict COVID-19 protocols will be in place for the Australian personnel coming to B.C. The firefighting personnel will live and work in operational “bubbles” apart from other firefighting personnel to minimize COVID-19 risks. They will also remain in their own bubbles when away from the fire line.

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The Australians join hundreds of other out-of-province personnel who are working on B.C. wildfires, including 113 from Quebec who arrived on July 23, and 101 Mexicans who arrived on July 24.

Elsewhere, Alberta supplied 61 firefighting personnel, Parks Canada 17, Nova Scotia one, Canadian Interagency Fore Fire Centre one, and the Canadian Armed Force 90, set to increase to 250 by July 28.

As of publication, there are 3,558 people involved in firefighting operations in B.C., including 1,252 contractors.