Forest Fire Management Victoria firefighters have answered the call of their Canadian counterparts to support the efforts to contain the country’s devastating bushfires.
Firefighters from Powelltown, Woori Yallock and Knoxfield were deployed to British Columbia and Alberta last week, taking on roles in the Advanced Planning Team, as Operations Section Chief, Air Support Group Supervisor, Task Force Leader and Heavy Equipment Bosses for 35 days.
An additional five arduous firefighters and an Agency Representative departed on Thursday to further support the response in British Columbia.
Port Phillip Deputy Chief Fire Officer Shannon Devenish said the crew are among a total of 62 Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic) personnel supporting the ongoing wildfire response, continuing a long-standing tradition between Victoria and Canada.
“FFMVic staff bring extensive emergency management experience taking on specialist roles including Air Operations Manager, liaison and planning officers, Air Base Manager, Air Attack Supervisor and Strike Team Leaders,” Devenish said.
“Our arduous firefighters are well-prepared to face the challenging and remote terrain of Canada, bringing specialist skills in tree-felling and dry firefighting techniques,”
“While providing much-needed relief to our Canadian counterparts, these deployments also offer invaluable opportunities for FFMVic staff to expand their bushfire knowledge and operational experience in different environments, allowing them to apply what they learn to manage large-scale bushfires at home,”
“We extend our heartfelt thanks to our deployed staff and to their loved ones and colleagues who support them from home.”
In 2019-20, Canadian firefighters supported Victorian firefighting efforts, and since then, FFMVic staff have been part of multiple deployments to Canada over the past two fire seasons.
As Victoria prepares for the upcoming bushfire season, FFMVic is recruiting several hundred Project Firefighters to bolster their permanent firefighting staff.
These roles offer a valuable entry point into careers in environmental and emergency management. Some of FFMVic’s former Project Firefighters have gone on to support firefighting efforts across Australia and internationally.
While applications closed on 28 July, FFMVic is still accepting applications for locations with vacancies. For more information, visit: jobs.careers.vic.gov.au/pff
