SA FIREFIGHTERS SENT TO CANADA TO HELP WITH WILDFIRES

Over 100 South African firefighters have been deployed to Canada to assist with wildfires.

This was confirmed by the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries’ Minister Barbara Creecy.

Wildfires have increased due to very hot and dry temperatures in Canada.

The record-breaking heat and associated dry weather, and large wildland fires are currently burning in Manitoba. Other provinces also face the threat of wildfires, following a drier than average spring across much of western Canada, reports News24.

The 79 male and 30 female firefighters have been sent to the Manitoba province and will be deployed there for a total of 34 days.

“We want to reassure our partners and stakeholders that this deployment will in no way have an impact on our current firefighting resources in South Africa, where the Working On Fire programme is able to call on close to 5,000 firefighters spread throughout the country.”

This is the fourth time that firefighters from South Africa have been deployed to Canada to assist in fighting wildfires. The last time was in June 2019 when 40 firefighters assisted with a fire in Chuckegg Creek that started in May 2019 and burnt hundreds and thousands of hectares and burnt down several homes in the area.

Image credit: PRI