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USA Firefighters Sent to Australia

100 firefighters join the firefighting effort.

Some American firefighters have been on the ground in Australia since early December. More are on the way now, see More than 100 U.S. Firefighters Helping Battle Australia Fires.

There is an advantage with the firefighting seasons being directly opposite one another between North America and Australia. Canadian firefighters are also being dispatched to help in Australia. 

Eric Holdeman is a contributing writer for Emergency Management magazine and is the former director of the King County, Wash., Office of Emergency Management.