Local firefighters off to fight Canadian fires
A second group of South African firefighters, several from the Waterberg area, are off to Canada to help combat the hundreds of wildfires raging through the Alberta province.
These firefighters are part of Working on Fire, a government-funded program.
Canada’s fire season is off to an unprecedented start with several million hectares already scorched. The smoke has traveled to the United States with photos showing New York covered in a smoky haze.
The first group of 200 firefighters and 15 managers was deployed on Saturday, June 3. A second group of 200 firefighters and 13 managers have been sent to the Canadian province of Alberta on Wednesday 14 June.
The group is called Mzanzi Hotshots 2. There are 25 firefighters from Limpopo with eight of them hailing from the Waterberg region from bases at Marakele, Vingerkraal, Leseding, Mookgophong, Mogalakwena, and Alma, said Ofentse Letswalo, Working on Fire’s provincial communications officer. Alberta has already seen more than 550 fires this season.
This deployment comes in response to an urgent request from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFC). Canada and South Africa have a Memorandum of Understanding for the exchange of wildland fire management resources.
This year’s deployment is the fifth collaboration between the two countries. The South African teams comprise highly qualified firefighters, with a minimum of three years of firefighting experience. They include members with previous international firefighting experience, which enhances their experience in complex fire situations. They are trained in Canadian pump operation techniques.
