Australia and New Zealand send record number of firefighters to US and Canada

Australia and New Zealand have deployed their largest-ever contingent of firefighters to assist with intense wildfire seasons in the United States and Canada. More than 320 personnel are currently supporting operations, marking a milestone in over 20 years of resource sharing between the three nations.

In Boise, Idaho, crews have undergone pre-deployment training at the National Interagency Fire Center to prepare for local conditions, including operating large wildland fire trucks with steering wheels on the opposite side. The deployment is facilitated by the seasonal difference between the regions, as the Southern Hemisphere is currently in its winter stage.

Individual firefighters are being deployed to various volatile zones. For example, personnel have been assigned to combat the Little Giant fire in Washington State, which has burned over 54,471 hectares, and the Shoshone fire in Nevada.