Canadian wildfire deployment a chance to ‘help mates, learn new skills’

Helping fight Canadian wildfires will be “tough work” but also chance to learn some new skills, one of the Kiwi firefighters being deployed to Alberta says.

Taranaki firefighters Trent Dravitzki and Josh Paice are among a group of 25 from New Zealand who fly out today, joining a 200-strong Australian contingent that will support Canada’s firefighting operations.

Currently, there are roughly 90 active blazes in Alberta with more than 20,000 people evacuated from their homes and oil and gas production affected because of shifting fire conditions, Fire and Emergency New Zealand deputy national commander Steph Rotarangi said in an emailed statement.

A drought through the province has lingered since their autumn and fire activity has started early, with more than 500 fires burning up more than 750,000 hectares to date.

Dravitzki, who has been to Canada twice before and also helped out with the Queensland fires, said you never knew exactly what you’d be doing until in the “thick of it” but he said it was always “tough work”.

But heading over was a cool opportunity to help out a country in need, he said.

“To give your mates a hand.”

It was also an opportunity to learn some knew skills and bring them back to New Zealand for the fire season here, he said.

Being away was a big deal for his family, he said.

“You typically do 14 days’ work, have two days off then do another 14 days’ work.

Rotarangi said the kiwi crew would specifically be assisting with arduous conditions firefighting, incident management requirements, and air operations.

“Fighting fires of this magnitude is a hugely demanding task. We’re happy to provide support to our Canadian colleagues,” Rotarangi said.

“It’s extremely tough firefighting conditions in Canada just now with unseasonably hot, tinder-dry weather and shifting wind elevating the risk of wildfires spreading in an area already under pressure.

“Deploying overseas is a valuable development opportunity for those involved. It gives them experience in different environments that they can bring back here and apply to New Zealand wildfires.”

Along with Draviztki and Paise, there are two in the Kiwi crew from Northland, three from Waitemata, two from Counties Manukau, six from the Bay of Plenty, one from Tairawhiti, two from Manawatu-Whanganui, three from Wellington, one from Mid-South Canterbury and three from Otago.