Fires have been ablaze in Canada for several weeks as a dry spell and heatwave endure. Photo: Twitter
Fires have been ablaze in Canada for several weeks as a dry spell and heatwave endure. Photo: Twitter
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment’s Working on Fire programme has announced that 109 South African firefighters will be setting off to Canada to assist the country’s fight against raging wild fires.
The firefighters will jet out of South Africa on Tuesday evening and head to the province of Manitoba in Canada, where large wild land fires are currently burning out of control.
SA Firefighters deployed to Manitoba
Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment Minister Barbara Creecy extended her best wishes to the Working on Fire team set to assist in Canada, and urged them to do South Africa proud in a statement released on Tuesday 10 August.
“I would like to extend my good wishes to the Working on Fire team as you embark on your fourth deployment to Canada to assist in bringing the fires currently raging across Manitoba under control,” he said.
“I trust that, as in the past, you will fly South Africa’s flag high and that your camaraderie will stand you in good stead as you battle alongside colleagues from other Canadian provinces and cities to save lives and homes,” she said.
“Your commitment will serve as an example to members of the Working on Fire team who will be on standby to battle any wildfires that may break out here in South Africa as we near the end of our winter season.”
SA resources remain intact
South Africa is currently in the midst of the winter fire season, where the risk of blazes is significantly reduced compared to the summer season, however fires are currently ablaze in the North West Province. Creecy insisted that the deployment of the 109 firefighters to Canada will in no way deplete South Africa’s resources.
“We also understand that we are currently amid our 2021 Winter Fire Season. However, as with previous deployments, 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,” she said.
