Maitland fire specialist Daniel Macaree is part of a NSW deployment of firefighters sent to Canada on the weekend to help authorities battle more than 400 out of control wildfires.
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About 1.5 million hectares of land has been burnt as Canada deals with 650 active fires across the country.
Mr Macree is one of four Forestry Corporation firefighters who are part of a 31 member deployment from NSW which flew out of Australia on Saturday after a request from Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.
The NSW contingent is coordinated by the NSW Rural Fire Service and made up of 20 RFS representatives, five from National Parks and Wildlife, two from State Emergency Services and four from Forestry Corporation.
Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said Forestry Corporation of NSW personnel had specialist skills and extensive firefighting experience and were proud to be involved.
"My thoughts and best wishes are with the Australian firefighters heading to Canada and those Canadians already on the fire front," Ms Moriarty said.
"I'm pleased that our firefighting agencies in NSW, including Forestry Corporation, can work collaboratively locally and assist their counterparts in Canada."
Lead forestry officer Macaree will deploy as a heavy plant supervisor dozer boss having worked for Forestry Corporation since 2016.
"With the current fire situation in Canada I'm expecting it to be quite challenging. I imagine I will be working with contractors most days looking for and constructing containment lines and providing access to areas," Mr Macaree said.
"I think it will be a challenging yet rewarding experience that I'll be able to draw upon in the future."
Michael Hartshorn
Since starting in 1985 at the then Melbourne Herald, journalism has taken me around Australia from Victoria, to the Northern Territory, Cairns in Queensland and now Port Stephens. After all those years there is still something special about informing and connecting with readers.
Since starting in 1985 at the then Melbourne Herald, journalism has taken me around Australia from Victoria, to the Northern Territory, Cairns in Queensland and now Port Stephens. After all those years there is still something special about informing and connecting with readers.
