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Canada Deployment Newsletter - No. 3

29/8/2017

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The taskforces, including our New Zealand crews, who are firefighting on Elephant Hill.
Where has the time gone?

Have you ever had those moments where you turn around and ask yourself, where did that week go? Well, with two weeks down, most of us are wondering where the time went. Seconds merged into minutes that merged into hours that merged into what-day-is-it-today? In which the proper response is usually…does it matter?

Thankfully though, the teams have well and truly reached the mid-way point of their deployment. And it is now time to rest those blistered hands and weary feet that have pounded the fields and forests of British Columbia. It’s a time to unwind, relax and have a few more laughs with those we work with as well as sightsee around the province a bit more.

Scenically, Canada is quite similar to New Zealand; lush greens, wide open spaces, mountains so huge you could drive a ute over it for days. But of course, Canada is so much bigger, it’s like New Zealand…but on steroids.

It’s a visual feast for the eyes and every outdoor loving nerd’s best dream. And so, to the outdoors we go.


Pictures from the crew on the Clinton Fire

14 days straight – that’s how long it takes to do one ‘tour’. Everyone is up early at 5.30am so they can get their weetbix in* (*there is no weetbix) before being briefed by their team leaders on what their objectives are for the day. Crews usually head out of camp from 6.30am and return back to camp between 6pm to 9pm.

The temperatures have picked up again but nowhere near as sweaty as it was on our first week. Averaging between 22-27 which may sound pleasant, but give thought to the fact that our men and women also have to wear all the kit along with carrying so much gear around. I suppose it gives them the right to get their feast on since they’ve lost all that weight on the line (and the food is so gooood).
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Steve leads crews from Otago, Crew Leader Ben Douglas (Dougie), Will McBeth, Sonya Poplawski, Daniel Marfell and Sam DeReeper. Nelson, Crew Leader Matt Pearless, Graham Staples, Steve Parker, Bruce Hampton and Cory “I wear shorts every chance I get” Rusbatch. Southern, Crew Leader Grant Tremain, Neil Gardyne, Roger Sutton, Nick “Wi, I want to watch the All Blacks” McCabe and Darrin Scott. And finally Mid-South Canterbury, Crew Leader Kevin Donaldson, Marcus Reveley, Robert Schiphorst and Nathan Currie.
On that note, here are some pics during their first two weeks.

Morning briefing session conducted by Steve Ochsner, Task Force Leader, or in Canadian speak Crew Leader, of his 20 pack. The teams are being reminded to focus on the day’s task at hand as we get closer to our R&R days; there is a lot more work to be done before then.
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Steve's crew have had some long days recently and are having a major impact in containing the fire.
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(Above) Day 13 for members of Task Force Charlie saw a parting of ways with the local Grayco 6 crew, who live approximately an hour away from Clinton, timing out from the Elephant Hill fire today. Lance Dixon (centre behind the lady) and the rest of Great Barrier Team along with Rob Clarke, stand alongside their work buddies for the past week; reinforcing the strong camaraderie that exists between firefighters all over the world.
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Pick the Kiwis in the crowd as a large chopper takes off.
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If anyone ever says we’re on holiday, they’re totally mistaken. Hard yakka from the teams.
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A good night’s sleep amongst the bears (or snorers) before waking up to get into the teamwork!
Some of the teams experienced light snow on the elephant hill fire yesterday. 38 to 3 degree shift!
Lake Anahim Fire Camp

You remember in the last newsletter how I said not to get too comfy cos anything could and most probably could change. Well, for the Incident Management Team, we were based at Puntzi for less than a week before we got the call that we’d be shifting to another camp two hours’ drive towards the North West. Oh…and we had to set the camp up before we got there. Sweet.

The mere concept of trying to find a location to put a camp down that can fit up to 300 people is hard to comprehend. I mean, where do you start? But heh, nothing stops us kiwis when it comes to a good challenge and through all the logistics we achieved something awesome. Ladies and gentlemen, the kiwis created a whole fire camp in Canada. And it was great to stamp our mark on that little corner in British Columbia. To use a Ritchie McCaw-ism, “full credit to the team. It was a great effort.” It definitely was.

Unfortunately, we were only there for two nights before we had to leave. Sigh.
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Lake Anahim fire camp (kitchen, offices, bathrooms & laundry in lower half; rangers and camping area upper half)
Central Cariboo Complex

And now the IMT are situated at Central Cariboo Complex which, if you google it, is located in the Williams Lake area. The complex is a lot bigger with close to 400 people camping in the site. We’re looking after nine fires which may sound like a lot, but they’re “smaller” fires which we hope are at the tail-end of their ruin.
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Aerial shot of Central Cariboo Complex
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And as the sun settles over the complex, the faint sound of cougars are heard in the distance.
R’n’R – Rest and Recreation (not Rock n Roll)

Breathe in…breathe out…stretch to the sky…and relax. Ah yes, it is R&R time for our teams. It was exciting as well as we weren’t really sure where we would be going. But honestly, by the time day 14 hit we were ready to kick back and unwind for a couple of days. Tents would be replaced with rooms, camp kitchens with restaurants, bathrooms with, well...bathrooms, but you get the idea. It was time to see more of this beautiful province of British Columbia.

The IMT were graciously sent for their R&R to Quesnel. While some of us struggled with the pronounciation (the s is silent), the rest of us were researching what to do there. It’s a small locale with a population of 10k, numerous cafés and the odd person donning a cowboy hat – it was Canadian country at its finest. We were told that an hour and a half away was a town called Barkerville which, it put it subtly, is like a bigger, extended version of Arrowtown. So of course…we had to check it out!
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Breakfast at Tiffany’s? No. Breakkie in Quesnal. Yus!
Barkerville. It’s 1862. Things are old and have stayed that way for a long long time. It’s pretty cool.
At Barkerville you can attend a re-enactment of a court hearing OR…get a ‘painless’ tooth extraction. Hmmmmm.
The Barkerville Fire Station in 1862
Keep small children with you.
Stay tuned as next week we’ll bring you photos from where & how the fire crews spent their R&R.

Women in Deployment

They say you can’t keep a good women down and the ladies that have joined us on this year’s deployment are definitely not those to stay behind in the shadows. Allison Ludlow, Carrie Lakin, Sonya Poplawski, Christine Tatterson and Karen Ismay bring with them talent, nerve, experience and the willingness to dedicate their time to help with the wildfire situation in Canada.
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We’ve sat a few of our firefighters down to talk about why it is they put their hand up to come on board, what challenges they’ve faced, how camp life is, if there’ve been any funny moments and whether they would recommend deployments to other women in the service. Enjoy!
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Allison Ludlow (Napier Crew):

It seems surreal to be in such a beautiful country, alongside locals in a phenomenal fire crisis, who are still so friendly and helpful. Everyone is respectful. Looking back over 14 days of firefighting on Elephant Hill, the massive scale of operations on just one of the many current fires is extraordinary. Operations run like a well-oiled machine, problems are resolved quickly and it is easy to have faith in the Canadian and Kiwi fire-team leadership. Wi and Nigel seem to materialise just when you need them at fire camp, and nothing seems like too much trouble for them. Our 20 pack leaders have also been carefully selected for their skill set and they are fabulous in the most trying of circumstances. With the unpredictable nature of wind changes and fire behaviour, they've had to get us out quickly several times.

It’s surprising how much the little things matter like the familiar, comforting scent of your deodorant from home, the feel of chapstick on scorched lips and a decent cup of tea on R&R days.

If you are considering a deployment, be prepared for a mix of dust, dirt, smoke, missing the family, tears, daily bad hair, extremely quick girl-bush bathroom stops away from the guys - amongst displaced bears, rattle snakes and cougars, grateful locals, laughs and adventure. All of these things make the Canadian wildfires experience an incredible life experience – so go for it!
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Bring on the next 14-day stint!

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Carrie Lakin (IMT, Air Operations):

I can’t believe we’re already on our second tour here. It’s gone from quiet to full-on to not knowing where the hours go in the day. It’s my second deployment but my first to Canada and the people here are really friendly. I feel really comfortable around helicopters so when I’m down at the Heli base I can easily talk shop with the pilots and when they’re off flying the helicopters, I can mosey on down and talk shop with the engineers. It’s great!

Though I’m recently qualified as an Air Attack Supervisor (AAS), I didn’t come over here thinking my britches were big. When I arrived I had to learn about different air-craft as they’re bigger here (typical Canada) and they were unknown models to me. Thankfully I have a great learning tool called Google to help me research along with quick reference guides. Also – the Canadians have a different way of doing their work and trying to learn that has been great to pick up on.
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I have to admit, Canadians think Kiwis speak fast and I’m slowly starting to believe it. Most times I have people squinty-eyeing me wondering what on earth I’m talking about. And it’s great to see how surprised they are when they learn there’s no dangerous animals in NZ.


This deployment I think of as ‘God’s Own Endurance Race’; remember to keep up your hygiene, clean your feet, eat properly and drink loads of water. If you can keep healthy then you can be on point for yourself and your team.

I would absolutely recommend for other women to put their hands up for a deployment. You learn so much in a short space of time and hey, it’s so much fun and the amount of laughs that’s had are too numerous to count, so give it a go!

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Sonya Poplawski (Otago Crew)

I absolutely jumped at the chance to come to Canada. The experience so far has been incredibly rewarding! The Canadian wilderness provides some amazing encounters; moose, deer, snakes and of course bears. Probably one of the most challenging tasks is struggling to get your overalls off to pee when you are hot, sweaty, loaded with gear and looking over your shoulder for bears!

The Canadian people are so lovely. I had a gentleman in Vancouver who insisted on paying for my groceries! That was very humbling.

Here in Canada, I have been lucky enough to experience extreme fire behaviour at its finest but also lots of new techniques in firefighting. Some of them you think would be good at home, some not.

I am privileged to work with a fantastic crew; all 20 of them. Being the only woman I am not treated any differently nor do I expect to be. We have lots of laughs together which reminds us of the lighter side of life!

It is definitely a mental game coupled with the physical challenge. Fatigue is a battle of wills. Even the less desirable tasks become a test of concentration after 2 weeks on the fire line but we know the rest of the crew has 'got your back'.

What an experience! What an opportunity! Having been through personal tragedy myself I grab every day like it is my last; determined to make the most of opportunities placed in front of me. This experience is right up there!!!

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Christine Tatterson (IMT Logistics Section Chief):

It’s my first time on deployment and I couldn’t be more excited. As a logistics chief I have to make sure that we have enough resources, be that working staff on the field, making sure everything and anything is ordered (incl. pens and toilet paper) or setting up a new camp. And yes, I actually set up a new camp and it was awesome!

Honestly, I can be a little out of my comfort zone due to the size of everything – the camp, the province, the COUNTRY! This place is massive and it’s amazing to see how the Canadian teams handle it all. Trying to learn policies and procedures like who to go to sign for lease of land so we can get a camp site up and running can be challenging but having British Columbian locals around is a huge help. It’s a big learning curve and I’ve learned to ask ‘how long is something gonna take to get here.’ Back home it might take one day, but in Canada, due to the vastness and distance of our where we’re situated, it could take up to three days to arrive.

Camp life? Try Glamp life! It’s great in camp. I thought we’d be really roughing it but here, we have toilets with running water, full kitchens, laundry services – and it’s all at a really high standard. I sleep in a ranger tent that accommodates another five women and honestly, I prefer that as it’s bit hard to get dressed in a one-person tent, haha.

It only takes one big mistake to learn a lesson and for me, I don’t think I’ll ever forget how I was at an intersection happily waiting for these trucks to go past so I could move on. After a minute I thought, why aren’t they moving? Well, I totally forgot that I was supposed to be driving on the right hand side of the road and they were, of course, waiting for me to get in the proper lane. Doh! Learnt that one quick I did.

I would absolutely recommend other women to come on a deployment. There are tough days yes, but there are a great bunch of people who help and support ya. You get so much experience and learn more on the job.

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Wildlife

Snakes and cougars and bears, oh my.

At our day one briefing in Chilliwack we were shown a lovely video about bear attacks and what to do if you encounter one. It was set in the 90s so it was good to see the mullet in full effect, but it did educate us on why we should make noise when walking through the forests, like yelling ‘hey bear, ho bear.’ I kid you not. But, if it’s gonna help us save our life then we’ll ‘hey bear, ho bear’ any chance we can get.

Let’s take a look at what everyone has encountered since being here.

Roy meets Anaconda.
Saxon and the crew see a bear.
Steve seems to think something is there.
​“Hey human, Ho human.”
Coming up…

Our fourth week already?! Crazy. I wonder if we can stay longer?

Next week we’ll continue to look at what the teams are getting up to, camp life, explain what it is our IMT actually do and we’ll feature a special guest as well. I might even throw in some Canadian slang; trying to teach them the definition of ‘yeah, nah’ to Canuks has been quite entertaining.

We all hope everyone is safe back home. Aroha nui ki a koutou.

Chur for now.
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Serious Crash On Tarawera Road

28/8/2017

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Tarawera Rd closed following crash
The death of a Rotorua man, who died after being hit by a truck on Tarawera Rd, has been referred to the Coroner.

Police were called to the crash - between Tokorangi Pa Rd and Okareka Loop Rd - about 11.10 am yesterday. Rotorua area prevention manager Inspector Stuart Nightingale said the 30-year-old man suffered fatal injuries at the scene. The road was reopened just before 3 pm.

He said the Serious Crash Unit attended and the death had now been referred to the Coroner.
While there were eye witnesses, police are keen to hear from any others who may have witnessed the crash.
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Anyone with information can contact Rotorua police on (07) 349 9400. Alternatively, information may also be shared anonymously with Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.


Earlier: A male pedestrian has died after being hit by a truck on Tarawera Rd in Rotorua about 11.30am today. The road was closed for about three hours and has now reopened.
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Police said the incident would be investigated by the Serious Crash Unit and the Commercial Vehicle Investigation Unit.
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Canada Deployment Newsletter - No. 2

23/8/2017

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The Incident Management Team – 2017 Deployment to Canada. From left; back row: Kylan McKeen, Dave Wills, Phil Grace, Wayne Beggs, Carrie Lakin, John Sutton, Rory Renwick, Bobby Lamont, Christine Tatterson, Kevin Ihaka, Trevor Bullock, Phil Hodson, Nick Williamson, Phil Muldoon, Patrick Eschenmoser, Phil MacDonald. Front row, from left: Hamish Angus, Jason Hill, Jamie Cowan, Dave Hunt.
Hello (it means Hello in Canadian)

Sunday marked the end of the first week for the deployment team in Canada. It’s been full on and fast with little room to catch one’s breath since both teams landed in their respectful areas. It’s definitely a learn-as-you-go job and yes, we’re stuffed, but each day that we head out our confidence builds.

The weather has been, how can I say this…weird. When we arrived into British Columbia the sun was melting us at 35°C, teams were rocking out the short shorts and jandals – it was great. But five days later, the temperature has decreased to a mild 18-20°C. I know, I know, it’s winter back home, you’re cold, you’d love hot weather, why am I complaining? Well, I’m not really, especially given the fact that we woke up to a -1°C morning the other day. How is that possible – in summer!?

Into our second week and a lot of us are settling into it with aplomb. It’s no ‘hi ho, hi ho,’ let me assure you; as with anyone who’s been on deployment, you can’t be settled too much, for as soon as you start to get comfortable, anything can and most surely will happen.

But hey…let’s talk about that next week ;)


Smoke on the water

There are no words for it – these fires are immense. The vastness of how wide they spread over so many hectares cannot be put down into words alone. To know it is to see it and you can’t go in thinking you know the game here in BC – doing so will put not only yourself, but your crew in danger.

Safety is our number one priority, as it should be. Go out safe; come back safe. You see and hear that phrase everywhere at camp and it starts as soon as you put your boots on. Regardless if you’re managing it from base or on the line, no one is a single entity out here. Just like some great rugby team from some amazing country…we back each other up.
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As you may know, our crews are split over two fire camps: Clinton and Cache Creek. Both crews are working on the Elephant Hill Fire which is estimated to have 168,000 hectares of area burned. To put that into perspective – Lake Taupo is 61,600 hectares. They have 593 firefighters there including 290 out-of-province men and women including those from Mexico, Australia, and of course, us.

The teams are working hard down there, so much so that their Incident Commander has recognised their commitment, “your teams are brilliant and very hard workers. If I could have four more NZ 20 packs I would be in heaven!”
The IMT are based at Puntzi and managing three fires in the area, Kleena Kleene (10,006 ha burned), Colwell (4,925 ha) and Precipice (6,506 ha). They are responsible for managing the camp as well as fire operations. There are 20 members in total with roles ranging from Incident Controller (aka Superman), to Operations Section Chief (aka Batman) to Finance Section Chief (aka Be-nice-to-me-cos-I-control-the-purse) to Logistics Section Chief (aka Ms. Gets-things-done).

The team are travelling together, separate from the fire crews, and have worked with outgoing IMTs to learn the roles and responsibilities, usually in a day or two before management is handed over to them. A lot of it is based off of talent and keen-as-ness, but I’m sure some kiwi ingenuity is thrown in there as well. We go in with gusto and definitely do enough to earn ourselves a mallowpuff.
It’s Fire Camp

There’s a saying here in camp that if something isn’t working right or something gets lost and pops up two days later – ‘it’s fire camp’. No hot shower in one stall – fire camp. Landline cuts out halfway through a call – fire camp. Flying bugs in your tent cos you forgot to zip it up in the morn – not fire camp; that’s your own fault.

I know that at the Lake Puntzi Fire Camp where the IMT are staying, you can’t get cell reception and the Wi-Fi is sketchy at best. And there’s no hope of using it properly when the crews come back for the day as they all bunch up in the area where the Wi-Fi is strongest so they can check their messages…facebook…tinder…whatever. But hey, ‘it’s fire camp’.

Honestly, the facilities are great here and it’s makeshift heaven to be honest. There are long trailers that are built to fit in showers/toilets, warehouses, offices and kitchens. Everybody eats in a mess tent and if you want your laundry done, you just put your dirty stuff in a black bag, leave it on a shelf and 24 hours later it’s all cleaned. Just like being back at mum’s really.
A lot of important work is done at the Fire Camp and we get to come back and enjoy massive feeds, clean showers and maintained grounds. This is due to the staff hired to clean, cook and maintain security on the premises. Without them, it would be a whole other type of ‘fire camp.’

At the Clinton fire camp there are 500 people – I can only imagine what the line to dinner must be like (or the loo for that matter). At Puntzi, there’s 233 people at the moment and is slowly getting bigger. The area for camping is massive with a mixture of different people pitching a tent; Australians, Mexicans, Americans and lots of Canadians from different provinces. And of course us Kiwis have subtly marked our own territory:
Fire camp – it is what you make it…and you can make it so much fun! After all - it is fire camp.
Our Liaison team!

We have our New Zealand Liaison team that is based in Winnipeg and Kamloops who are doing an amazing job to keep everything rolling along while our deployment happens. They’re never far from the pulse and always available to lend a hand when needs be.

Currently we have Scott Marchant; NZ’s IARR’s (Interagency Agency Resource Representative), who is the main point of contact through the Coordinating Fire Centre (CIFFC) based at Winnipeg back to NZ. Contracts and Manifests are his focus while continuing to develop our relationships with our International partners. Russell Barclay was first over here doing the IARR’s role but has since transitioned to Scott and now has returned home.
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From left: Ismael Torres Delgado, Mexican Liaison; Serge Poulin, Incident Commander for CIFFC; John Bolger, Australia Liaison; Laura Yvonne Marcius de la Cruz, Mexican Liaison; Russell Barclay, New Zealand Liaison; Scott Marchant, New Zealand Liaison; Darrin MacKenzie, Australia Liaison; Kim Connors, Agency Administrator for CIFFC
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Nigel Dravitzki (pictured right) is the SREP (Senior Agency Representative). He is the point of contact for the province where deployed crews are situated (and works closely with Scott and Wipari). Discussions around all aspects of what happens to our deployment teams goes via Nigel. He also works alongside a number of other SREP’s from Mexico, Australia, Alberta, Saskatchewan to name a few! He is based in Kamloops at the BC Provincial Wildfire Centre.

Wipari Henwood (pictured left) is the AREP (Agency Representative/Field Liaison). Wipari covers a heap of kilometres as he moves between our various deployment sites, He is the main point of contact for all deployed crews (thus working closely with Nigel). Wipari is also interacting on a daily basis with the Incident Management Teams (ITM) and providing what’s best from a NZ perspective.

As you can see, it’s a team effort all around. While this ‘hidden team’ may not seem to be as exciting as some of the front line roles, they are equally vital in the overall deployment success.

Who’s running the show?
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Incident Controller (IC) Phil MacDonald putting kiwi ingenuity to the test.
Born and raised as a Canterbury kid, Phil MacDonald has been readying himself for his role as Incident Controller (IC) on this year’s deployment to Canada. This is the second time that Phil has been deployed internationally, the first being in 2015 to Alberta, although this is the first time he is holding the reigns as the IC.

“Being sent on an international deployment is the apex of my fire career because the duration of the event allows you to practice your craft”. And don’t let that Magnum P.I moustache fool you - Phil has had a brilliant career, first becoming involved in rural in 1982. He’s worked for Lands and Survey, National Parks and for 30 years he was at the Department of Conservation. He left the Department of Conservation six years ago to continue his commitment with rural fire and is now based at Devonport.

As IC he realises that the role is no easy one to step into. “The role is challenging at an operational level with the complexities of transitions, setting up a fire camp, managing a team of 19 as well as being involved in what is considered the worst fire season in Canadian history”. But Phil brings with him a great ability to analyse what the big picture is and is therefore able to take those reigns and steer them with confidence.
“If I’m successful in this role, it’s because the team was absolutely supportive to me. The IMT this year has been exceptional. They have the attitude, willingness and talent to do themselves and Fire and Emergency New Zealand proud.”

Coming up…

Two weeks down and a couple more to go. The temperature has dropped a bit but it’s still shorts and Hawaiian shirt weather which is great for the teams as they approach their rest days.

Coming up in the next deployment newsletter we’ll look at some of our teams and find out what they’re doing when not being amazing. We’ll also look at women in deployment, R&R (that’s rest and recreation folks) and maybe take a look some wildlife (Canadians included). And of course, a lot of photos to shake a stick at.

Till then, stay safe. Stay warm. Kia Kite.

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Canada Deployment Newsletter - No. 1

16/8/2017

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The 2017 Deployment team to Canada with the Canadian and British Columbian flags.
O Canada!

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Well, we finally made it and I can tell you, we have our work cut out for us here in Canada. After 13 hours on a packed flight (honestly, I did not see a spare seat), the Incident Management Team (IMT) landed into a very smoky Vancouver at 2pm on Sunday 6th August. Our fire crews wouldn’t arrive till late that night as they flew from NZ via Los Angeles or San Francisco. For the majority of the team it is the first time to British Columbia and what a way to come! Coming into land and looking out the plane windows, we could tell straight away how hard the fires are affecting British Columbia. There was smoke everywhere and you could smell it when we left the airport. We quickly herded into a bus and 1.5 hours later we arrived at the training centre in Chilliwack where we would spend the next two days having a brief on the wildfire situation.

Chilliwack

The first night was a good sleep…for some. I think the time difference made the body-clock of some a lil confused. While others slept like well-fed babies, some were up late probably asking themselves why they wouldn’t fall asleep. Let’s remember – Vancouver is 19 hours behind New Zealand. Thankfully though, the training centre was incredible; home-made burgers were on the menu the first night along with a generous helping of desserts.

What has been noticeable is the amount of Canadians that have been coming up to us, shaking our hands and thanking us for coming over to help. It really cements how big the situation is with the wildfires. So it was back to school for all of us on our first day with a full briefing of the wildfire situation. As of 10 August, there have been 954 fires with 148 still burning. It is estimated that 621,583 hectares has been burnt which is about 3x the size of Stewart Island. About 3,775 personnel are working across the province of British Columbia, including 764 who have come from out of province, which includes international deployments like us. In effect…we’re very much needed here and we’re all stoked to be here. 
Back to school for the Deployment Team – Briefing day at Chilliwack Training Centre. 
After the briefing and one more night in Chilliwack (which is not chilli at all), we were all up at 6am the next day to deploy out.

Flying in style – Canadian Hercules

​Wiping the sleep from our eyes we were told that to get to our next destination we would have to fly again. We all expected this but our eyes widened a bit more when we were told that we would get there by taking a ride in an actual HERCULES. We bussed to Abbotsford, just south of Chilliwack, and watched (and clicked many a photo) of the Hercules coming into the base. Again, for the majority of us, it would be the first time hitching a ride on the beast. We thank the Canadian military for allowing us the honour of taking us as it was a true pleasure to fly with them. 
Where are we?

​After 45-50 mins in the air we touched down in Prince George, BC which is north to northeast of Vancouver. From here we boarded another bus and made our way, about 30 mins, to the University of Northern British Columbia so that we could pick up the utes (or pickups in Canuk speak). The University staff were so kind to give us lunch and we appreciated the hospitality and good banter.
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At this junction the two sets of crews split up to drive to their locations in their left-handed drive utes. Let’s remember – Canadians drive on the other side of the road so we all had to remember the number one rule – ‘long left, tight right.’ Oh yeah, and drive on the right hand side!

The Incident Management Team (IMT) travelled to Lake Williams Fire Camp, 1.5 hours, to be briefed before travelling another 2.5 hours onto Lake Puntzi Fire Camp which is where they are now based. Arriving late into the night (9.30pm), putting up tents in dark made for quite the show, especially for the flying bugs who welcomed us with their annoying presence.

The region has, at present, four major fires and the IMT are shadowing their Canadian counterparts learning what their roles will do for the region. The Canadians transfer out on Sunday in which the Kiwis will then manage the area.
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We are all very eager to get stuck into it.

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Our fire crews travelled down to Clinton Fire Camp (5 hours drive) in the Clinton region. All crews were briefed on the status of the fire and what they are likely to encounter during this section of the deployment. Two twenty packs (or task force) remained in Clinton while the third pack headed south to Cache Creek Fire Camp after dinner.

All is accounted for, fighting well and coming back safely.





Coming up…

So that’s what’s happened during our first week here in Canada. It’s been full on and the body clock is finally catching up with us. We’re adjusting to working long hours but we’re here and proud to be here.

​Coming up in the next deployment newsletter we’ll look at the fire camps, the (smoky) weather, have some interviews with our crew members and of course, more photos to gawk at.

Stay safe. Stay warm. Kia Kite.


Kylan McKeen
New Zealand Information Officer
Fire and Emergency NZ

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Rotorua crew from left: Anthony Young, Roy Toia, Andy Uhl, Ray Doyle, Stu Lyall.
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Kiwi Firefighters To Fly To Canada To Fight Wildfires

5/8/2017

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A wildfire burns on a moutainside in Boston Flats, British Columbia.
New Zealand firefighters will start leaving for Canada tomorrow to help bolster local efforts as scores of wildfires rage out of control across the country.
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Eighty people including firefighters from Fire and Emergency, the Department of Conservation and forestry contractors will fly to Vancouver over the next three days on a five-week mission to provide relief to Canadian firefighters stretched to capacity.

Thousands of people have been evacuated and a province is in a state of emergency as more than 200 fires carve a destructive swathe across the North American continent.

So far more than 1.2million hectares have been destroyed by fire in this year's catastrophic fire season. The worst affected region is British Columbia where more than 474,000 hectares have gone up in flames and 135 fires continue to burn out of control.

Fire and Emergency national manager rural Kevin O'Connor said the New Zealand contingent would be stationed in British Columbia. He said the deployment was in response to a formal request from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre earlier this week. "Canada is close to exhausting all available wildfire management resources within their country. To help provide ongoing relief, New Zealand is sending a team of firefighters and operational personnel to provide frontline and incident management support to local firefighters," said O'Connor.

"Our fire crews and incident management team members have a range of skills in high demand during lengthy firefighting operations. These include experience in logistics, communications, ferrying supplies into remote locations, and the use of aircraft."

Bushfires continued to claim more than 8000 hectares a day and hot, extreme conditions showed no sign of abating. Current firefighting efforts in British Columbia remain focused on public safety and keeping highway evacuation routes open. O'Connor said the New Zealand contingent would join the 3000-plus people and 200 planes currently engaged in the British Columbia operation.
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