A fire information officer with the BC Wildfire Service is reflecting on spending a month in Australia during the country’s devastating fire season.

Jody Lucius is now back in Kamloops after spending a month Down Under.

She was asked about how what she saw in Australia compared to B.C.’s record fire seasons in 2017 and 2018.

“I would say it’s relatively comparable. The fires were a little different, the areas they were burning. It would be like having it in more than just B.C. for example, because there were several states of Australia impacted. But certainly not that different as far as the impact it had on people,” Lucius tells NL News.

“The overwhelming smoke in the air for weeks and weeks at a time for some people in certain areas. A lot of fear in individuals, waiting to see if fire is going to move their way and that type of thing. So definitely a very challenging fire season for them, and a long road to recovery for sure in some areas.”

More than 12.6 million hectares burned in Australia during this past fire season and at least 33 people died, according to reports. Most of the devastation was centered in the states of Victoria and New South Wales.

For the first time since early July 2019, there is currently no active bush or grass fires in #NSW. That’s more than 240 days of fire activity for the state. #nswfires #nswrfs pic.twitter.com/NpjF3lAHKa

— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) March 2, 2020