'It's a dirty job': N.S. crew off to tackle wildfires in British Columbia

A crew of 21 Nova Scotia firefighters flew to Prince George,B.C., on Monday to help battle hundreds of forest fires burning in that province.

The team is made up of provincial firefighters from the Department of Lands and Forestry, formerly known as the Department of Natural Resources.

Lands and Forestry technician Jamie Brown has made four trips to British Columbia to battle wildfires in the past 17 years. He spoke to reporters at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport early this morning.

"It's quite gruelling," he said."We normally do 12-hour days for 14 straight [days].There's a lot of heat, a lot of work it's a dirty job."

Fighting fires in the mountainous region, on steep slopes, can be dangerous, he acknowledged.

The crew from Nova Scotia will be equipped with hand tools to battle the spread of flames, adding "there's not a lot of water use," he said.

"We just take what they give us, we work our hardest and do the best we can do."

The assistance is not uncommon and help is given willingly, Brownsaid.

"There are always people in other provinces willing to step up and we do it on a regular basis."

The crew members are fromLands and Forestry offices throughout Nova Scotia.

There are nearly 600 fires burning across B.C., prompting the government to declarea provincewide state of emergency.

With files from Brett Ruskin

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