Saskatchewan firefighters off to Australia to help in battle against wildfires
2 managers will spend 38 days working on blazes as part of national team
Two Saskatchewan fire management staff are heading to Australia to help combat wildfires as part of a 21-member team assembled from across Canada.
The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency made the announcement Tuesday morning.
Canadians are being sent after the National Resource Sharing Centre in Melbourne asked for help fighting bush fires along the east coast of Australia.
The 21 Canadians will fill operational, planning and aviation roles.
"Saskatchewan is proud to be part of the Canadian contingent," Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency president Marlo Pritchard said in a statement.
The fire season started early in Australia this year with more than 100 fires burning across the country's east coast by mid-November. At least four people have been reported dead and a large area of New South Wales and Queensland has been destroyed.
Canada has called on Australia for help in the past and it has provided firefighters four times since 2015. The provincial government said this will be the first time Canadian firefighters are being sent to Australia under the Exchange of Wildland Fire Management Resources Agreement.