South Australian firefighting expertise required in Canada

SA Country Fire Service (CFS) and Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) will today send six fire response professionals to Canada to assist in the emergency response to thousands of wildfires in North America.

About 2,500 fires are currently burning across Canada and have exhausted local authorities already braced for an extensive fire season throughout the widespread pine forest regions.

CFS State Coordinator Leigh Miller says the deployment is an acknowledgement of the firefighting skills within South Australia.

"We were notified late Thursday evening by Emergency Management Australia's National Critical Crisis Coordination Centre in Canberra of a request from Canada for Australian firefighting resources to be deployed to assist.

"A state of emergency has been declared in British Columbia as continued hot dry weather is resulting in record breaking fire weather, and assistance is required to cope with current and anticipated wildland fire activity.