The 109 firefighters and management of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment’s Working on Fire programme are set to return to South Africa from Canada tomorrow.
This follows after a successful deployment to Manitoba, Canada, where the South Africans assisted provincial firefighting authorities with wildland firefighting efforts. The group left SA on August 10.
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At the time of their arrival in Winnipeg, Canada was experiencing high fire dangers. The available wildland fire management resources within the country were exhausted and were on their highest level, National Preparedness Level 5.
The firefighting divisions were deployed to various active fires in Manitoba from August 13 in Loon Straits in the eastern sector and the Cold Lake complex in the western sector where multiple fires were burning.
The Manitoba government sent its sincere thanks to all the firefighters from other jurisdictions who came to assist the Manitoba Wildfire Service, including the large contingent from South Africa, and all the local crews who had tackled one of the worst wildfire seasons in the province in recent years.
This thanks came from the conservation and climate minister, Sarah Guillemard.
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“As Manitobans, we say thank you to everyone who answered the call for assistance as wildfires raged across our province due to the extremely dry conditions this summer.
“Just as Manitoba has sent firefighting crews to help in other provinces and other countries such as Australia in 2020, this year was our time to request the support of others.
“South Africa will forever hold a place in the hearts of Manitobans and be remembered as an international partner that we can count on should the need arise again in the future.”
The minister noted these hard-working firefighters were welcomed to these communities and brought professionalism and dedication to their jobs.
They also showed great team spirit through their colourful marching, chanting and singing at Richardson International Airport in Winnipeg upon their arrival and when moving through the communities in which they were deployed.
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Trevor Abrahams, managing director of Working on Fire, said, “We leave Manitoba grateful for the opportunity to have been of service and will take home the lessons from this experience, including the extensive use of water pumps, long lines of hoses and the reliance on air transport to get to the fires.
“We feel we fit in well with the local crews and appreciate the praise and support of the local fire commanders. The team enjoyed their camping experience near the fire line and some interesting encounters with the local bear population.”
The 2021 wildfire season is one of the most severe Manitoba has experienced since the record-setting season of 1989. Nearly 450 wildfires and more than 1.2 million hectares burned across the province this season.
More than 4 000 Manitobans were evacuated from seven First Nations and three northern communities throughout the season. Two communities in eastern Manitoba remain evacuated while work is under way to restore power.
