Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wants to return "the favor" to his Australian "friends". - Sean Kilpatrick / AP / SIPA

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed his country's desire to help Australia, which has been ravaged by deadly fires, on Sunday. He called on his fellow citizens to make donations to help the victims.

“When forest fires ravaged our communities, Australia came to our aid. We return the favor. We are close allies, and many Canadians have an attachment to Australia. We are going to help our friends get through this ordeal, ”he said in a tweet.

When forest fires ravaged our communities, Australia came to our aid. We return the favor. We are close allies, and many Canadians have an attachment to Australia. We are going to help our friends get through this ordeal. https://t.co/MeWNVoMLCo

- Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) January 5, 2020

24 dead already

“Our friends in Australia need our help. We invite you to make a donation if you can, ”added the Prime Minister in another tweet accompanying a message from the Australian Red Cross on helping victims of fires. An area equivalent to twice Belgium has already been ravaged by flames and 24 people have died.

Bush fires have burned thousands of homes to ashes, destroyed livelihoods and killed large numbers of animals. And they are still raging. Our friends in Australia need our help. We invite you to make a donation if you can. https://t.co/la41HL5Y5O

- Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) January 5, 2020

Foreign Minister François-Philippe Champagne recalled that "nearly 100 Canadian fire management personnel (had) been deployed to Australia" since December 3, adding that Ottawa "was ready to offer additional assistance if necessary ”.

"Canada is deeply saddened by the increasing number of deaths and destruction caused by the devastating forest fires," he added in a statement.

Canada, particularly the province of British Columbia in the west of the country, experienced devastating forest fires in 2017 and 2018 and Australian firefighters came to help their Canadian colleagues.

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  • Global warming
  • Justin Trudeau
  • World
  • Canada
  • Fire
  • Australia