Sixty-nine Canadians heading to Australia have given up their holidays to help fight the devastating fires burning across the country, according to the CTV News website. 

The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center said 21 highly-trained staff left Canada for a 38-day deployment in New South Wales on December 3. The second group of 30 Canadians was sent on December 19 for 38 days and an additional 18 will be deployed on December 30 for one month. 

Kim Connors, the executive director of the CIFFC in Winnipeg said Canada called on Australian firefighters four times since 2015 and that agreement between Australia and Canada would be reciprocal in nature. 

The fires continue to blaze in Australia due to record temperatures and strong winds fanning over 100 fires.