Fire Brigade News

CANADA BRAVO DEPLOYMENT 2024

There are few sounds in this world as distinctive as the helicopter, the wop wop of the rotor tips breaking the sound barrier is a giveaway that its a Bell 212 ‘medium’ inbound. Where it will land is infinitely variable, forest track, swamp or in a cloud of swirling darkness generated from the burnt remains of a once green wilderness.

Canada is vast, so vast, the ability for a fire to run in this environment is endless and getting ahead or around hundreds of acres of fire ground makes helicopters a vital asset. Far from a luxury in this environment they become ‘trucks’ taking personal, equipment and water dropping capability to where it is needed. Lifting off from Worsley, Alberta, I was among 10 firefighters headed north to join the rest of the Fire and Emergency New Zealand Bravo taskforce. We were tasked with a fire that had burnt 12,000 hectares, not big by Canada standards but if you consider New Zealand’s recent Port Hills fire at 650 hectares, we start to expose the scale of north American wildfires. A few hours north of our location were multiple fires touching on 100,000 hectares each and whilst fire can be measured in size it’s when they get into a community the real devastation hits home. Alberta, Canada’s picture perfect town of Jasper fell victim to a wildfire this season losing a 3rd of its homes and scaring it for years to come. The Jasper event was unfolding as Canada called for help, international resources responded to bolster the tired and stretched crews battling these fires.

The primary cause of these fires is lightning, a fickle force of nature that chooses its targets randomly, far from roads it can ignite fires that in the right conditions take hold and move where the conditions take them. The vastness may make the birth of a wildfire seem almost insignificant but once a fire takes hold it needs to consume, maybe slow at first but as fuel, weather and topography align it can quickly change from smouldering to extreme and race towards homes, businesses and infrastructure as an out of control disaster.

Like a local emergency in Waiatarua, an International Wildfire Taskforce responds on limited detail unsure of exactly what we they face on arrival. This call started 5 weeks of work with the Alberta Wildfire Agency getting tasked to a number of fires, some accessed by helicopter, many accessed by pick up truck and walking. Putting a ring around a wildfire and managing it to a status of OUT is a long hot and challenging process. I was fortunate to be amongst experienced and committed crew and the mahi of walking, digging and sawing was only part of our story. The greatest part of my time away was the people, my crew, the locals and the many other firefighters from around the world we meet along the way.

I could fill pages with what we did, what I saw, and how I felt but when boiled down my takeaways are simple. Amongst the sweat and work, I was reminded that morale is everything, we all contribute something here and if you get this right – 5 weeks passes pretty quick.

I didn’t expect my volunteer journey would lead me to a Canadian fireground, it started by stepping forward far too late in life and taking a chance. That step forward continues to be one of the most rewarding things I have ever done.

If you have ever wondered about taking that step forward, being part of a great team, giving back to your community and learning new skills. Our station trains every Monday at 7:30pm and your welcome to join us, I might even share a yarn over a beer.

Gareth Wilson
Senior Firefighter – Waiatarua Fire Station