As members of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry continue to help battle devastating wildfires in Australia, some personnel from northern Ontario are returning home.
Dan Johnson is a Fire Operations Supervisor from Timmins and he says the Australian landscape is vastly different than what crews are used to.
“Ontario is relatively flat and Australia had some topography that made it challenging for suppression planning, the Australian weather itself, they’ve been experiencing an early fire season. There were several days of higher temperatures and high winds”.
Johnson notes they also had to contend with eucalyptus trees.
“It has a sap that is very flammable and volatile, and its bark can hold an ember and with the wind, it can carry over long distances.”
Australia is expecting another heat wave, raising the threat of new forest fires.
