British Columbia's beleaguered forest firefighters are getting some help from near and far -- including local fire departments and crews from Down Under.
Forests Minister Pat Bell says 30 firefighters from Australia and New Zealand are expected to arrive in B.C. Thursday and will be assigned to firefighting duties by next weekend.
He says the crews will free up B.C. workers for other duties or to take a take a few days off.
B.C. has already called in about 850 firefighters from elsewhere in Canada to help the province's own forest fighting contingent, which includes two thousand members of the forest service and 750 contractors.
The province is also asking for help from city fire departments to prevent buildings from burning when fires get too close to towns and cities.
Chilliwack's fire department is sending a crew of seven to assist in the battle against hundreds of fires, which are burning around B.C.
They include the Terrace Mountain fire northwest of Kelowna, which has forced 2,500 people out of their Central Okanagan homes for the second time in two weeks.
According to the B.C. Forest Service, there are currently 400 personnel engaged in fighting the Terrace Mountain fire, including 264 firefighters, and 16 helicopters.
Fire information officer Suzanne Von der Porten says crews at Terrace Mountain, near Fintry, are doing all they can to stop the progress of the 75-square-kilometre blaze which is currently about 30 per cent contained.
"There was some growth overnight, but apparently it wasn't very significant," Von der Porten said.
That fire is about half a kilometre away from the nearest structure.
Von der Porten said the high winds that were anticipated never arrived, so crews will continue doing many of the same tasks they have in recent days.
"It's supposed to be a hot day today. ... They're going to continue extending those fire guards, working on hot spots that have burned ahead of the fire's front."
However, the B.C. Forest Service is predicting that fire crews may get some help the weather. Rain and thunder showers are in the local forecast, it said.
