USDA Forest Service Fire Captain, Dave Soldavini, from the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, is in Australia as part of an interagency group helping with fire suppression efforts. Soldavini is part of the third group of fire resources the U.S. has deployed to Australia. On Dec. 30th, the Forest Service and the U.S. Department of the Interior sent 44 personnel to Australia. An additional 21 personnel were mobilized on Jan. 4th, and will replace a previous group of American firefighters mobilized in early December. Soldavini will be deployed throughout the month of January and may serve numerous roles including engine boss, task force leader, division supervisor and operations section chief.