US sends veteran firefighters to battle Australia wildfires

A crew of 20 veteran firefighters based in California will he to Australia on Monday to help battle country’s out-of-control wildfires that have killed at least 23 people and scorched millions of acres.

crew of federal firefighters based in Angeles National Forest rth of Los Angeles will depart on Monday, said Carrie Bilbao, a spokeswoman with National Interncy Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, which is mobilizing U.S. resources in response to Australia’s requests for international firefighting aide.

Federal ncies such as U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Manment alrey have provided a few dozen people, most of m with experience managing fires, Bilbao said Saturday.

crew leaving on Monday will replace a group of personnel sent to Australia in early December. y include hot-shot and helicopter crew members with experience attacking fires early before y grow into large infers, said Angeles National Forest Fire Chief Robert Garcia.

Australia and New Zealand have been sending firefighters to United States for more than 15 years, most recently in August 2018, when 138 came to help battle fires in rrn California and rthwest, Bilbao said.

last time U.S. firefighters worked in Australia was 2010.

“Our focus remains on helping people of Australia and keeping people safe in se unprecedented conditions,” said Craig Leff, director of Department of Interior’s Office of Wildland Fire.