NORTH East firefighters have returned from the United States after helping locals battle fierce wildfires.
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Three firefighters from Wangaratta and Ovens touched down in Albury on Wednesday after a five-week stint overseas.
CFA member Justin Tilson said they had been welcomed by the Americans with open arms.
“I hadn’t even been to a fire and we pulled over in a small town,” he said.
“Everyone knew there were people from Australia who had come to help and they wanted to buy us lunch and coffee and tell us how good we were for helping out.
“They were just so grateful we were there supporting them.”
The Wangaratta man was joined by John Costenaro and Tony Grey from Myrtleford as part of a 72-person team from Australia and New Zealand.
More than nine million acres have been burnt by fire across the US this year in one of the worst seasons in two decades.
Mr Tilson, who was deployed on two 14-day tours in Washington state, said it had been a great experience.
“In Australia we generally don’t camp out during fires unless we really have to,” he said.
“We camped the whole time we were over there, living in tents with wildlife like bears and coyotes nearby.
“Fires tend to flush out a lot of wildlife.
“I quite enjoy camping so I loved the whole experience.”
The techniques and type of forest they encountered were different to Australia.
The fires were not extinguished despite occasional snow, Mr Tilson said.
“We got along really well with everyone we worked with,” he said.
“Firefighting is a brotherhood.
“It doesn't matter where you're from, there's an instant bond.”
Victorian Emergency Management Commissioner Craig Lapsley said the group could be proud of their work and what they had achieved.
"The Australian and New Zealand team joined more than 30,000 firefighters supporting wildfire suppression efforts during one of their worst fire seasons in 20 years,” he said.
“The skills of our teams are internationally recognised and I know the firefighters and the communities they were working with have been very grateful.”
The local personnel from the CFA and Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning attended 14 incidents in Oregon and Washington
They undertook specialist work.
