Printed from https://fyi.org.nz/request/31410-wildfire-aid-request-from-canada?unfold=1 on June 30, 2025 07:39

Wildfire Aid Request from Canada

Alan Thompson made this Official Information request to Fire and Emergency New Zealand

Currently waiting for a response from Fire and Emergency New Zealand, they must respond promptly and normally no later than (details and exceptions).

From: Alan Thompson

Dear Fire and Emergency New Zealand,

New Zealand has a reciprocal agreement with Canada, the US and Australia to provide wildfire fighting capability in the event of a request from any of the parties. This agreement has been in place for over 20 years and we have provided regular assistance at both the firefighting and fire management levels. In addition to the expertise and skills we are able to provide, the deployments to these significant wildfire incidents provide an essential and valuable opportunity for NZ to further improve our skills and benefit from the opportunity to work alongside the Americans, Canadians and Australians to enhance our experience and capability at large and complex wildfires.

In early June 2025 a contingent of 96 Australians were deployed to Alberta at the request of the Canadians to assist with wildfire fighting. Notably no NZ personnel were included in that response.

Under the provisions of the Official Information Act I request the following information.

1. Was NZ invited to provide wildfire fighting personnel to be included in the June 2025 deployment to Alberta? If so, how many personnel and at which level were requested?

2. If NZ received a request for personnel:
a. Why were NZ fire fighters not included in the Aus/NZ deployment to Alberta?
b. Was the invitation to deploy personnel to Alberta extended to Department of
Conservation and Forest Owner as FENZ’s partners in rural fire?
c. Were DOC and Forest Owners consulted in any decision not to deploy NZ fire
fighters?

3. Please provide copies of all of the emails and other documentation pertaining to any request to NZ for personnel to deploy to Canada invitation including:
a. Any discussion with or advice given to Australia on such a request, discussion with
Australia on a NZ response and any decision not to offer assistance from FENZ,
DOC or Forest Owners.
b. Notices to FENZ staff or working groups on the request and/or deployment; and
c. Any communications with DOC and/or Forest Owners on the request and any
decision not to offer FENZ resources.

Yours faithfully,

Alan Thompson

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From: Official Information Requests
Fire and Emergency New Zealand

Tēnā koe Alan Thompson  
 
We write to acknowledge receipt of your information request dated 26 June
2025. Our commitment is to provide a response to your request as soon as
possible, and no later than 20 working days after the day it was received.
If we are unable to meet this timeframe, we will inform you promptly and
provide details regarding any extension required. Should clarification be
necessary for your request, we may reach out to you for additional
information.
             
The information you have requested may contain the names and contact
details of our staff or volunteers. Please let us know whether you require
these names and contact details. We may need to consult our people before
deciding whether we can release this information, and this may take a bit
more time. If we do not hear from you, we will assume that you do not
require their names and contact details.

Nāku noa, nā
Information Request Team

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