![]() In his small town nestled in the heart of the boreal forest, he said, "the fire came very close to the pulp mill." He told AFP he's never seen it this bad, adding, "We're really scared."Ī pulp mill worker by day in Lebel-sur-Quevillon, Quebec, he is new to wildfires, having trained in dealing with house fires. Luc Boutin, at 60, is among Canada's oldest volunteer firefighters, with nearly 30 years experience. "That's a really long fire season," Galbraith said, adding that it is wearing down firefighters, whose numbers have been recognized as too few to meet needs. The fire season is starting earlier and lasting longer each year, she said, beginning as soon as the snow melts and stretching through October. She said her university background in geomatics - collecting and interpreting data about the earth's surface - "helps me map fires and give crews situational awareness."Īfter years battling blazes, Galbraith said the increasing intensity and number of wildfires is becoming the new normal. Through most of the summer, she was on the front lines leading a team of 18 firefighters. Galbraith began firefighting to pay for schooling but fell in love with the job and stuck with it. It's a huge threat."įirefighter Kara Galbraith, 29, said her job was very much like an organized sport, with huge emphasis on teamwork, physical fitness and a common goal.Ī former rugby player from British Columbia, a western province hard hit by fires, she is an almost 10-year veteran of the local forest fire service. "It's hard to see friends' houses and cabins destroyed and not be able to do anything because the fire is too extreme."Ī forestry student, he worries about the future: "As summers get hotter and it rains less and less, fires move closer to communities and cities. "The lack of rain this summer made things extremely difficult and transformed all the vegetation into a huge tinderbox," he said.Īn avid outdoorsman, he said he sometimes felt helpless. He deployed in the Northwest Territories, notably to fight fires advancing on Yellowknife in the far north, a city that had to be evacuated in August. He too admitted to feeling exhausted, "desperate for a break after working nonstop through the summer." "The future is scary," she added, eager for a break.Īt 21, Alfred James (AJ) Lawrance is already a somewhat seasoned firefighter. She is not alone: this year's wildfire season has weighed heavily on the morale of all firefighters, she said. While not worried about her physical health, Boucher admitted to being mentally exhausted. ![]() Standing just five feet tall (1.5 meters), the new recruit was deployed to beat back intense fires that flared across Quebec. ![]() "I didn't see anything, I didn't do anything. ![]() We also offer monthly open-bout-only memberships and drop in rates.Isabelle Boucher, 26, spent the entire "crazy" summer in the Canadian wilds working 12-hour days. open bout privileges, access to gear/weapons, and use of scoring equipment when available. All class enrollees automatically enjoy the benefits of membership i.e. GFA, a USA Fencing Affiliate Club, is enrolling middle schoolers to senior citizens for introductory, beginner, and intermediate group instruction as well as private lessons. With an emphasis on recreation, our goal is to make fencing accessible and fun while facilitating competitive aspirations on the local level and beyond. It's the best game of tag ever invented!įoil, epee, or sabre, our USFCA certified coaches will help you create a foundation of proper form and technique in your weapon of choice. Get out with the family for some great exercise and a lesson in strategy and tactics. Whether experienced on piste or complete novice, GFA invites you to help us build and grow our fencing community. Fencing is the ORIGINAL masked, socially distanced sporting event and Greensboro Fencing Academy is bringing it to the Piedmont in 2021! Let us introduce you to a sport widely enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities, often spanning a lifetime of activity and advancement.
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