South African firefighters who have travelled all the way to Canada to help battle wildfires in B.C. have captured the hearts of local residents.
Loreen Obst was out for a walk on Sunday when she heard singing. The Chilliwack resident then spotted a large group of people clad in a yellow uniform singing and dancing at the RCMP Pacific Region Training Centre.
“The talent and the musicality of their culture… it’s just overwhelming,” says Obst. “It was pretty hard not to take a video.”
She took out her phone and did exactly that.
“It was incredible,” says Obst. “I am so grateful they’re here in our country helping us because it’s a long way to come.”
She wasn’t the only person in awe of the performance.
Bret Paquet noticed the jackets and that they all had the South African flag on them.
"I stood outside the fence with one hand holding the phone and my right one against my heart, trying not to cry... I know what it is to put your life on the line,” says Paquet.
He explains the dancing style as "isicathamiya," a cappella choral singing that was created in South Africa.
Paquet, who is a retired RCMP police officer, says it was a powerful experience to witness and hopes the group has a safe deployment.
More than 500 people from outside of Canada have been deployed to fires burning in the province.
BC Wildfire Service confirms the South African personnel are currently supporting efforts on the Adams Complex (Bush Creek East and the Rossmore Lake wildfires) in the Shuswap and the Grouse Complex (McDougall Creek, Walroy Lake and Clarke Creek wildfires) in the Okanagan.
"We are extremely grateful for their support and look forward to working alongside them," says BC Wildfire Service provincial information officer Nic Kokolski.
