A team from the Indonesian Military landed in Australia on Sunday to support the country’s bushfire response.

In a joint statement issued on Monday, the Australian government said it was deeply grateful to Indonesia for its commitment to send more than 30 military engineers to support the fight against the bushfires.

Due to the fires’ continuing impact across the country, the Australian Defense Force has deployed significant resources to help battle the fires and aid recovery efforts.

Australian Defense Minister Linda Reynolds said she welcomed Indonesia’s contribution, saying that “our Indonesian neighbors have significant disaster relief and recovery experience, which complements the Australian Defense Force’s capabilities”.

Meanwhile, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said it was reassuring to have such close friends in Australia’s time of need.

“Indonesia’s support to the Australian people is deeply appreciated and demonstrates the strong bond between our countries,” Payne said.

The 38 personnel deployed are assigned to the Indonesian Army’s Engineering Directorate, Indonesian Marine Corps, Indonesian Air Force’s facility and construction service and the Indonesian Military Health Center.

Arriving on Sunday at the Royal Australian Air Force Base Richmond in New South Wales, the team was welcomed by the Indonesian Ambassador to Australia and Vanuatu Kristiarto Legowo and Indonesia's consul general in Sydney, Heru Subolo.

Meanwhile, their Australian counterparts who welcomed the personnel were Brig. Mick Garraway, the commander of the Joint Task Force New South Wales, and regimental Sergeant Maj. David Trill.

The personnel are to be deployed in the Blue Mountain area, New South Wales, to support the immediate response at the burnt land.

During the welcoming ceremony, Kristiarto said the support was a manifestation of the true friendship and partnership between Indonesia and Australia, as well as the mandate of the Indonesian Constitution.

As neighboring countries, Indonesia and Australia have become comprehensive strategic partners — the pact of which was announced during the visit of Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison to Indonesia in August 2018.

“The partnership of the two countries through humanitarian assistance has taken place for a long time, started by Indonesia’s support during Hurricane Tracy in Darwin in 1974, Australia’s support given after Aceh’s tsunami in 2004 and Sulawesi’s earthquake and tsunami last year,” Kristiarto said as quoted from the embassy’s statement.

Indonesia hopes that the support would not only ease Australia’s burden amid the disaster but also strengthen the relations between the two nations in the future.

The constant fires ignited in the third quarter of last year have been catastrophic for Australia and the threat continues.

Last week, Australian Capital Territory Canberra declared a state of emergency, which gave authorities greater powers to order evacuations, to close roads and take control of properties as fire threatened suburban areas, Reuter’s reported.

It was the first time an emergency was declared in Canberra since 2003 when fires destroyed almost 500 houses and killed four people.

However, the threat has been brought under control by the Australian authorities as containment lines held and hot and windy conditions eased.

More than 7.7 hectares of land had been burnt and 33 people were killed. The fires have destroyed more than 2,000 houses and forced thousands of people to seek refuge.

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