• Rentlar@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    6
    ·
    8 months ago

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jun/29/canada-wildfires-us-crews-shift-strategy

    Not only this, compared to Canada they work their firefighters harder and longer in the U.S.:

    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. The shelters aren’t always reliable, especially in the types of terrain where Canadian crews often fight fire.

    “The overall goal is to save human life – and that includes their own firefighters not just the public,” Mueller said.

    That ethos is also applied to working conditions.

    Even 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.

    “We were used to operating in a 24-hour environment,” Mueller said, but he and his crew had to head out after a 12-hour mark, in order to abide by Alberta rules, which mandate periods of rest to protect against stress and fatigue.

    Wildfire ecologist Robert Gray said that on-the-ground realities dictate the difference in strategies between the two countries and this has led to incorrect assumptions that Canadian crews take fewer risks.