In a bid to strengthen cameraderie and show support to the North American country of Canada, South Africa will be sending over 200 firefighters to assist with firefighting and fire suppression in the wake of devastating spring wildfires.
In recent days, the international community reported that rare and “very aggressive” spring wildfires in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia had destroyed many buildings and forced thousands from their homes and prompting officials to declare a local state of emergency.
As a result, earlier today the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment’s Working on Fire programme will be deploying a team of more than 200 firefighters and management to the Canadian province of Alberta to assist with firefighting efforts.
This will reportedly be the fifth deployment by a Working on Fire team to Canada.
According to the department, the request for urgent assistance came from the Canadian Inter-agency Forest Fire Centre in terms of the existing memorandum of understanding between Canada and South Africa.
The MOU signed in 2019, provides for the exchange of wildland fire management resources between South Africa and Canada and was put in place following two earlier deployments to Canada to suppress wildfires in Alberta and Manitoba.
To date, Alberta has already experienced more than 550 wildfires this season, resulting in significant damage to property and infrastructure and displacing thousands of people.
The department said the first deployment of 200 firefighters and 15 managers would depart for Canada on a chartered aircraft from Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport tomorrow, June 3, at 1:20pm.
The deployment will see the team assist firefighters in Canada for 35 days, with a second team of 200 firefighters and 13 managers joining the crew in Alberta in a week.
The team comprises pump-trained firefighters, with 25% of the selected firefighters in the first deployment being women, as well as two members of the management team. and highlights Working on Fire’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.
The members had, according to the department, previous international firefighting experience, which further enhanced their expertise in tackling complex fire situations.
“I would like to extend my best wishes to the team as you embark on your deployment to Canada to help put out with the fires raging in Alberta. You go to Canada to raise the South African flag and share your expertise and camaraderie with colleagues from other Canadian provinces to save lives, homes, businesses and large swathes of vegetation,” said Forestry, Fisheries and Environment Minister Barbara Creecy.
“We are proud of the fact that South Africa is again able to assist Canadian firefighting teams in their battle to bring the wildfires under control. The extensive experience and training of these firefighters will significantly enhance efforts to effectively suppress and manage the wildfires in Alberta."