65 firefighters from Australia, New Zealand arrive in Northwest to help fight region’s wildfires

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A contingent of 65 senior firefighters from Australia and New Zealand has arrived in the Pacific Northwest to assist in combating the region’s large wildfires.

After receiving briefings at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, the firefighters were assigned to various large wildfire incidents across the Northwest, including the Willamette Complex South on the Willamette National Forest and the Pioneer Fire on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.

Over the next several weeks, they will be filling key leadership and operational positions such as helibase managers, division supervisors, task force leaders, and safety officers.

“We are deeply grateful to our colleagues from Australia and New Zealand for their critical support,” said Jacque Buchanan, regional forester for the USDA Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Region. “Their expertise is essential as we continue to face a prolonged and extreme fire season.”

Mutual wildland fire assistance between the U.S. and these countries goes back more than 20 years. This marks the eighth time since 2000 that Australia has sent firefighters to the U.S.

The U.S. has also sent wildland firefighters to assist in Australia during their fire seasons.

"This deployment of specialists from Australia and New Zealand is just the most recent example of the collaborative relationship with the U.S. fire agencies and continues to demonstrate the interoperability between these countries that has existed for more than two decades," said Josh Torrens, Agency Representative for the Australia and New Zealand contingent.