TITUSVILLE, Fla. — A Titusville firefighter just got back from a life-changing experience helping fellow firefighters battle huge wildfires in Idaho.
- Titusville firefighter helped battle Mesa fire in Idaho
- Fire was raging at 37,000 acres when he arrived
- He said he would go back if called again
Fresh off his return home, Titusville Fire's Frank Canada has had some time to reflect on his recent trip.
Canada traveled to Idaho to help firefighters with a devastating wildfire that's burned tens of thousands of acres so far.
"Yeah, you have our blessings, go show the young bucks how it's done," Canada told Spectrum News about his conversation with Titusville Fire to go to Idaho.
After getting permission from the department, and getting just an hour notice, Canada packed up his gear and headed to the far west state.
His son is a wildland firefighter in Oregon, and two years ago Canada went through intense training to one day get this call.
Once he landed, it was right to the front lines of the Mesa fire, at that point raging 37,000 acres.
"On the side of a mountain, digging a trench for miles and miles, hours and hours on end, you have the ability to put a fire out with just a hand-tool," Canada described. "Fourteen hour days, 14 days straight.
What he saw, along with firefighters from the states and even Australia and New Zealand, was almost apocalyptic.
And when the days were done, it was obvious how hard this former Marine and his colleagues were working.
"So dirty, so tired, so worn out, by 10 o’ clock is was quiet -- everybody was asleep," Canada recalled.
At the 5 a.m. wake-up call, and the team back at it again.
Question is, if called again, would Canada go?
"My stuff is packed, and I'm ready to when called," he said.
There are nearly 350 firefighters battling the Mesa fire in the Payette National Forest in Idaho.
The fire is believed to be caused by a person.