8 Wing delivers relief to fire-ravaged Australia

TRENTON — Canadian Armed Forces is supporting brushfire relief efforts in Australia as the country copes with fires that have ravaged the country.

Under Operation Renaissance, 15 armed forces personnel departed last week from 8 Wing Trenton aboard a CC-177 Globemaster.

The mission is responding to huge sections of Australia’s eastern and southern coasts fighting heatwave conditions and corresponding bushfires that are out of control in some areas.

The crew made a stopover at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada to load 73,000 lbs of fire retardant from the United States which will be used to beat back flames in Australia, said Capt. Graeme Scott, 8 Wing spokesperson.

“Global Affairs reached out to the Australian government and they happily accepted,” Scott said. “The team is comprised of air crew, a secondary crew and a few to unload the material.”

Scott said during the operation, which was expected to be a five-day turnaround, the crew will also transport New Zealand helicopters used in recent firefighting efforts.

In a public advisory, the Government of Canada said the “aircraft will then remain in the area for a period of five days, providing ongoing airlift support which will reduce demands on Australian airlift and free them up for other firefighting tasks.”

“Satellite imagery support will also be provided to hard-hit areas, supporting fire prediction modeling and enhancing the efficiency of firefighting efforts on the ground.”

Contingency Plan (CONPLAN) RENAISSANCE is the air force’s plan for rapid deployment to the scene of a disaster overseas and provides direction to the CAF in the event of a decision by the Government of Canada to respond to a request from another nation for help.

“The plan delivers a rapid CAF response that is flexible enough to make an immediate positive impact at the scene of the disaster, and to continue helping people as the situation develops,” the government said.