Portland captain selected for second Canadian wildfire deployment
Captain Ian Hamley in Manitoba 2025
Portland Fire Brigade Captain Ian Hamley left Australia on 5 August 2026 as part of an Australian firefighting contingent deployed to British Columbia, Canada.
Ian, who was re-elected Captain of Portland brigade in June 2026, has been selected to serve as a Divisional Supervisor, a key leadership role within the Incident Management Team responsible for coordinating firefighting operations, managing resources, ensuring firefighter safety and working closely with Canadian emergency personnel during large and complex wildfire incidents.
This is Ian's second international deployment to Canada. In 2025, he was deployed to Manitoba, where he served as an Operations Chief, overseeing firefighting operations and coordinating resources across major wildfire incidents.
His appointment this year as a Divisional Supervisor reflects his operational leadership, extensive incident management experience and the confidence placed in him by the Australian deployment team.
With 25 years of service in CFA, Ian has responded to a diverse range of emergencies, including bushfires, structural fires, road crash rescues, hazardous materials incidents and storm emergencies. He is an Emergency Management Victoria (EMV) accredited Level 3 Operations Officer, qualified to manage complex emergency operations and lead multi-agency responses.
Ian's commitment to emergency service has been recognised through a number of significant honours and awards, including the CFA 25 Year Service Medal, the National Medal and 1st Clasp, the National Emergency Medal for the 2009 Victorian Bushfires, the National Emergency Medal for the 2019–2020 Black Summer Bushfires, and the CFA Outstanding Service Medal.
As Captain of Portland brigade, Ian continues to lead one of south-west Victoria's busiest volunteer brigades while mentoring firefighters and contributing to emergency management across the region.
Ian said it was an honour to once again represent the Portland community, CFA and Australia on the international stage.
"It is a privilege to have been selected for a second deployment to Canada. My deployment to Manitoba last year gave me a great appreciation of the scale and complexity of Canadian wildfires and the dedication of the firefighters who respond to them," Ian said.
"I'm looking forward to working alongside Canadian crews in British Columbia, sharing Australian experience and learning from their operational knowledge. These deployments strengthen the long-standing partnership between our two countries and provide valuable experience that can be brought home to benefit our own communities."
Australian and Canadian fire agencies have worked together for many years through reciprocal deployment arrangements, providing experienced personnel to assist one another during significant wildfire seasons when additional resources are required. These deployments allow firefighters to share knowledge, experience and best practice while supporting communities facing large-scale emergencies.
Portland Fire Brigade and the wider Glenelg community wish Ian and the Australian contingent a safe deployment and look forward to welcoming them home in September.