The province said it has received confirmation from officials with the South African agency Working on Fire that firefighters deployed in Alberta to help battle the forest blaze in the Fort McMurray area have been paid according to Alberta labour laws.
Close to 300 South African firefighters stepped up to help the province fight the massive wildfire in northern Alberta last month. They were paid in the same salary range as Alberta wildland firefighters.
“We are grateful that these women and men came to help us in our time of need. We are pleased to get confirmation that they have been paid in accordance with our province’s labour laws,” said Oneil Carlier, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry.
The international wildland firefighters arrived in Edmonton on May 29. They were deployed to northern Alberta two days later.
On June 12, the force left Edmonton and headed back to South Africa.
