Alberta wildfire experts in Bolivia to help with fire training, prevention | 24CA News
On her first journey to Bolivia in January, Jane Park hiked about 20 kilometres with nationwide park rangers to a steep, distant space with endangered palm bushes and the Andean, or spectacled, bear.
Much of the world in ANMI-El Palmar, one of many nation’s protected areas, had been burned in a wildfire.
“A lot of areas where they are fighting fires are extremely remote,” Park stated in a latest interview from Banff, Alta.
Park, who’s on an unpaid go away from her common job as a hearth and vegetation specialist in Banff National Park, is one in all two Alberta specialists spending a few of their low season serving to the Bolivian authorities put together for a rise in fires as a result of local weather change.
It’s a part of Global Affairs Canada’s technical help partnership, which permits Canadians from completely different backgrounds to share their experience in different nations.
Park got here throughout the chance on-line and acquired the contract, which began with the journey to Bolivia in January to tour 5 of the nation’s protected areas.
The trek to El Palmar, an built-in administration pure space, was the identical route park rangers took when the hearth began.
“It’s incredible,” stated Park. “They walk enormous distances. They are local people, they are used to high elevation and they are extremely fit.
“But if you imagine that even the fittest rangers take several hours to walk into a fire, the amount of fire growth that would occur during that time and then the challenges that come with fighting it without aircraft or without decent sources of water, it’s all the more challenging.”
Park added that the rangers carry transportable water bladder packs and use machetes to struggle the fires.
“In Canada, we have easy access to aircraft and water,” she stated. “So, there are definitely some interesting and very challenging conditions that folks have to work with down there.
“We have to make sure we’re tailoring what we’re training to their reality.”
Park, who returned to Bolivia this week, stated she’s serving to the environmental departments enhance their administration practices and construct capability to reply to these fires.
“That’s everything from prevention, suppression, wildfire management, communication, monitoring.”
Bolivia’s protected areas have excessive biodiversity, however wildfires — as a result of drought and longer fireplace seasons brought on by local weather change — have threatened them.
Global Forest Watch says the nation misplaced 1.6 million hectares of tree cowl in fires from 2001 to 2021. Some research have proven these wildfires are one of many biggest threats to endangered and threatened chook species.
As the fires get longer, bigger and extra frequent, Park stated extra companies are serving to the park service — whether or not that’s group volunteers, fireplace brigades or the navy.
“The park rangers, because they are the most experienced, end up having to lead these people that are maybe less experienced,” stated Park. “They lack additional training in how to lead resources and lead people who may not have the same level of experience as them.”
As Park helps to coach these rangers, one other Alberta knowledgeable is working with the Bolivian navy.
Mike May, a senior wildfire specialist, stated the navy fashioned a job power that features members from the military, navy and air power to reply to emergencies in areas such because the Bolivian Amazon.
May, who signed his contract as a “side hustle” along with his common job, additionally visited Bolivia for every week in January to do a wants evaluation and is to return this month to offer the coaching.
“There’s not a lot of funding available for them,” he stated in an interview from Hinton, Alta. “They have some tools — maybe not to the extent that we in Canada do. We are quite fortunate up here.”
May, who has beforehand supplied his experience in South Africa and Australia, stated he’s to coach a bunch of navy personnel are to then practice the front-line troopers to assist struggle the fires.
“`The hope is… to start them on the right path so that they are able to build their wildfire program within the military,” he stated.
May stated he and Park acknowledged a necessity for some cross-agency coaching, which they may even present.
“It’s always unique and fascinating to be able to go to different agencies and jurisdictions to see how they manage wildfires,” stated May. “I have no doubt I will be able to take home some good lessons from Bolivia.”
He stated he feels lucky to get the chance and supply of his some experience.
“We’re Canadians,” added May, “and we just want to help people.”
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