As a picturesque Canadian national park burns out of control, some of Australia's most skilled bush fire fighters have answered the call for help.
For rural fire service volunteer Leslie Meade, it's a chance to return home.
The Australian-born 52-year-old lived in British Columbia for 17 years, raising his family there, before returning to Queensland.
"I love that I get to go back, but I hate the reason why," he said.
"I'm just glad to know that we're going to use our skills from home to make a real difference."
It's the second time in as many years he's been hand-picked as part of an elite squad, deployed to fight wildfires alongside their Canadian counterparts.
They're known as arduous firefighters.
The title comes from the harsh conditions these brave men and women are trained to work in.
Battling bush fires in steep and rugged terrain, while carrying heavy equipment – often kilometres from the nearest support vehicle – is their bread and butter.
Queensland Fire Department Commissioner Steve Smith said it's these specialist skills, honed in the unforgiving Australian bush, that make arduous firefighters so valuable to international allies.
"The conditions in Canada are physically demanding, working in remote and heavily forested areas, but it's nothing that our highly trained personnel can't handle," Mr Smith said.
"We're proud our staff and volunteers are held in such high regard across the globe."
Wildfires rage through Jasper National Park
Tens of thousands of hectares of the Canadian Rockies, inside World Heritage Listed Jasper National Park, have been destroyed by wildfire.
More than 25, 000 people have been evacuated from the area after the blaze consumed entire streets in the small mountain community, local officials said.
Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland said in a message on the town's Facebook page that fires have "ravaged our beloved community".
"The destruction and loss that many of you are facing and feeling is beyond description and comprehension," he said.
"This experience is tremendously traumatic for each of us and for the community."
Preparing for 40 days on the fire front
The final crew of staff and volunteers departed from Brisbane and Sydney this week and could spend up to 40 days camping on the front line in Canada's Alberta and British Columbia provinces.
Carrying heavy equipment and trekking as far as 25km per day, these volunteers have a tough journey ahead.
Despite the challenge they face, arduous team leader Fiona Ware has no doubt her crew will get the job done.
"We're not sure what we're going to face until we get there, but I know we're up for it," she said.
"We've got such a competent and capable team and we all just want to help out in their [the Canadian people's] time of need."
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