Courtesy: Government of Alberta
42 Alberta wildland firefighters who spent two weeks fighting fire in California returned home this past weekend and are on well-deserved days off.
During their deployment to the Los Angeles area, two Alberta crews worked on several large wildfires, including the Eaton and Hughes wildfires, with a focus on containing the perimeter, putting out hot spots and responding to any new wildfires. The deployment was also an opportunity for Alberta firefighters to cross-train with their American counterparts and share firefighting knowledge and skills.
“While the forest fuels, weather and topography were very different from what our firefighters are used to in Alberta. they quickly adapted and fit right in with their American counterparts,” said Patrick McIlwaine, who participated in the deployment as a representative of Alberta Wildfire. “Both the American wildland firefighters and the Los Angeles residents we met were grateful for the support from Alberta.”
The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reached out through letter to express gratitude for Canada and Alberta’s support.
“Thank you for standing with California. Our solidarity reinforces the strong bonds between our people, and we look forward to continued collaboration in overcoming challenges together.”
