That ethos is also applied to working conditions.Įven though the 4.30am sunrise and 11.30pm sunset allowed for more daylight hours on the fire line, the American firefighters found they had to cut their typical shifts short. “The overall goal is to save human life – and that includes their own firefighters not just the public,” Mueller said. The shelters aren’t always reliable, especially in the types of terrain where Canadian crews often fight fire. While the tool is considered an essential “last-resort” protection by American agencies, Canadian strategies focus on ensuring firefighters aren’t put in situations where they might have to rely on the devices.

But Mueller and his team found that in Canada, far fewer firefighters were sent in early. The “initial-attack phase” is seen as essential to stop ignitions turning into infernos. In California, where mountain towns and communities are tucked into the most vulnerable forested canyons, a layered matrix of agencies act quickly. But Canadian policies, determined by each individual province, required some shifts in strategy.

Along with new types of terrain, US firefighters in Canada have encountered different techniques in the early stages of a burn, a new set of safety protocols, and contrasting requirements for protective equipment.Īs federal firefighters who have worked across the US, Mueller and his team were accustomed to dropping into new jurisdictions and containing flames on a variety of vegetation-types. Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/Reutersīut key differences in approach have prompted new questions about best practices in the face of a global challenge. Haze and smoke from the Canadian wildfires shroud the Manhattan skyline, on 7 June.

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