South Australian firefighters will join a contingent of 200 from across Australia and New Zealand to head to Canada to fight escalating wildfires.
Five Country Fire Service and National Parks and Wildlife Services SA personnel are flying out from Adelaide airport tomorrow to assist the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre at Alberta.
Divisional commanders/sector commanders Anthony Casey, Peterborough CFS Brigade, Shaun Irrgang, Jamestown CFS Brigade, and Terry Schultz, Mannum CFS Brigade, are among the group.
The CFS and NPWSSA are also deploying one heavy plant and machine manager/specialist from each agency to help coordinate the clearing of firebreaks with heavy machinery on the fire ground.
CFS Region 6 Air Operations Brigade volunteer Dyson Taverner and NPWSSA staff member Phil Sims will also travel to Canada this week.
Canada is experiencing significant fire activity with approximately 200 active fires across the country, which have already burned more than 1.9 million hectares.
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Regional Services and Operations Director Scott Turner said providing CFS personnel was a testament to the professionalism of CFS volunteers.
"This is not the first time CFS has deployed volunteer firefighters to Canada and is a testament to our volunteers' skills and abilities that we are able to be deploy them at such short notice, both locally and internationally," he said.
"Our highly skilled and well-trained volunteers are always ready to respond, whether that be to fires in our own backyard or overseas.
"It is an honor for Australian personnel to deploy to Canada.
"Fires know no boundaries and our firefighters are pleased to respond across borders to help."
They are expected to be in Canada for approximately 35 days.
