A Tahoe Basin Forest Service firefighter has been deployed to Australia to help battle the many brush fires around the country.
USDA Forest Service Fire Captain Dave Soldavini was assigned to Australia as part of an interagency group to help stop the fires. The Forest Service sent 44 fire personnel to Australia on Dec. 30, and an additional 21 firefighters were mobilized on Friday to replace a previous group mobilized in early December. Soldavini is expected to be in Australia through the end of the month working as an engine boss, task force leader, division supervisor, and operations section chief.
At least 24 people have been killed and more than 63,000 square miles burned since the fires began in September 2019.