Meanwhile...firefighters in Australia

Australia has the largest number of volunteer firefighters in the world. This is what their days look like right now.

These volunteers remain motivated


Meanwhile in Australia, as the country has been ravaged by wildfires since September, this is the daily life of the tens of thousands of Australian firefighters battling the flames: working in hellish conditions, saving the people, saving the animals. 24 people, including 3 volunteer firefighters, have died fighting the fires. According to the WWF, 1.25 billion animals have perished in the flames across the country. To help firefighters put out the 8.4 million hectares of wildfires - which is the size of Ireland - and save the inhabitants of the most isolated places, the Australian Prime Minister has called on 3,000 reservists from the military for reinforcement.


In the worst affected area, New South Wales, the fire department is made up of 6,800 firefighters and covers a territory of 50, 2689 miles. By comparison, Paris has 8,000 firefighters for an area that’s 1,000 times smaller


“We can help others not go through what our family is going through and that’s why I put the uniform back on everyday. And that’s why my dad does, and my brother does, and why we keep going. Because if we can make sure that no one else has to feel what my family and what my auntie and the rest of our family are feeling, then I’ll have done my job. And that’s all I can ask for.” "If you ever were in the field and see what we go through…you got no idea man.” Firefighter Paul Parker tells Brut.


Over 200 firefighters from the United States, Canada and New Zealand have been deployed to the country


The minimum age to become a volunteer firefighter is 16 years old, and there is no maximum. Retired people are also fighting the flames. Many international stars have decided to help the firefighters through donations, such as Australian actor Chris Hemsworth. Nine out of ten Australian firefighters, Gary Stokes is a volunteer. Australia has the largest number of volunteer firefighters in the world. For the first time Australian volunteer firefighters will be compensated up to $209 per day. Despite this announcement, many volunteer firefighters expressed their anger at the Prime Minister for his mismanagement of the crisis.


Brut.


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Brut.