The province is acknowledging and applauding the work of local firefighting staff in battling the ongoing wildfires in Australia.

Fire Training Specialist and Provincial FireSmart Liaison Joe Russell is back in the province after 38 days in Australia to offer support and expertise in fighting the devastating fires in that country.

Russell serves in the position of Logistics Officer and was responsible for managing transportation, meals and accommodations for all front line and incident support staff, as well as arranging for equipment and supports to suppress wildfires in parts of New South Wales.

He was assigned to the Gospers Mountain fire where he worked out of the Lithgow Fire Control Centre of the Rural Fire Service in that state before being reassigned to the Mudgee Complex of fires.

Two more local experts recently arrived in Australia. They include Conservation Officers Darren Jennings of North West River and Matthew Wells of Little Burnt Bay who are assigned to the state of Victoria for a 31 day deployment.