Minister Creecy welcomes the Working on Fire fire-fighters on arrival from Alberta, Canada
The Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Ms Barbara Creecy and the High Commissioner of Canada in South Africa HE Sandra McCardell will jointly hold a media briefing to mark the return of the Department’s Working on Fire Fire-Fighters (WoF) back to South Africa on Tuesday 30 July 2019.
The 45-member team spent almost 30 days at the Province of Alberta in Western Canada assisting in combating the huge Chuckegg fire which has burnt over 340,000 ha by the time they returned home. The WoF fire fighters formed part of teams of fire fighters from all over Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Colombia, New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba, Yukon, North West Territories, Mexico and USA combatting the fire which started on the 12th May 2019.
The South African Department of Environment, Fisheries and Forestry has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Canadian Department of Natural Resources, in terms of which either country may request urgent support from the other with regards to wildfire management.
The deployment of the WoF fire-fighters at the Province of Alberta in Western Canada further deepens the relations between Canada and South Africa on integrated fire management capacities.
The arrival time of the WoF fire-fighters is set for 07h00 and 07h25 respectively. Once they have landed and cleared by the customs they will be greeted by the Minister and the High Commissioner of Canada.
Prior to the joint media briefing, the WoF fire-fighters will receive their deployment commemorative badges and folders from the Minister and the High Commissioner.
The joint media briefing will take place as follows:
Date: Tuesday, 30 July 2019
Venue: Arrival area at OR Tambo International Airport
Time: 08:30
To RSVP:
Peter Mbelengwa
Cell: 082 611 8197
Email: PMbelengwa@environment.gov.za
Ernest Mulibana
Cell: 082 263 7372
Email: EMulibana@environment.gov.za
Media queries
Albi Modise
Cell: 083 490 2871
Linton Ransburg
Cell: 082 508 0990
