New Zealand to send firefighters to help with wildfires in Manitoba, Canada
Photo:
AFP
New Zealand is sending a small specialist team of firefighters to Canada to help with severe wildfires ripping through its Manitoba province.
The fires have prompted thousands of evacuations this season, with more than 20,000 people forced from their homes.
At the request of Canada's Forest Fire Centre, a seven-person crew from Fire and Emergency New Zealand will fly to Canada on Wednesday.
The team will help manage fire crews on the ground and oversee safety and logistics.
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden said a larger firefighting task force was also likely to be sent later this week.
"The scale of these fires is hard to imagine, with just one of the fires having burnt 300,000 hectares. That is almost two Stewart Islands," she said.
"I want to thank these firefighters who are offering their support to our Canadian counterparts at this time. Their efforts will make a real difference to the communities in Canada."
New Zealand has sent more than 300 personnel to North American wildfires since the establishment of Fire and Emergency New Zealand in 2017.
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