Prince William thanks Canadian firefighters for their ‘unprecedented work’ during wildfires and urges them to ‘rally together’

•  Prince William thanked the workers for their ‘crucial’ work
• READ MORE:  Prince William is praised for ‘heartwarming’ appearance on ITV’s Pride of Britain special as he plays cricket with Windrush passenger

Prince William has spoken to Canadian firefighters to thank them for their work during the ‘unprecedented’ wildfires.

The Prince of Wales, 41, spoke with firefighters to hear about their experience tackling one of the country’s worst ever disasters. 

Speaking via a video call, the royal said: ‘I bet people are thankful to all of you protecting their communities and their livelihoods.

‘It’s crucial what you guys have done.’

The father-of-three also stressed the importance of rallying together in tough times.  

Prince William has spoken to Canadian firefighters to thank them for their work during the ‘unprecedented’ wildfires

‘Has the community and all the firefighters, have you rallied around each other to keep yourselves going?

‘Because obviously when this happens during the sharp end of all the stuff you’re doing and the fires you’re fighting, it’s very difficult to keep going and keep your mind focused on what you’re trying to do.’

The country has battled 18.5 million hectares of fires with thousands of people forced to leave their homes.

‘I bet people are thankful to all of you protecting their communities and their livelihoods,’ William said. 

‘It’s crucial what you guys have done.’

‘Has the community and all the firefighters, have you rallied around each other to keep yourselves going?

‘Because obviously when this happens during the sharp end of all the stuff you’re doing and the fires you’re fighting, it’s very difficult to keep going and keep your mind focused on what you’re trying to do.’

He went on: ‘Thank you so much for all of you and all your teams doing a tremendous job this season, because frankly it must have been terrifying at times.

The Prince of Wales, 41, spoke with firefighters to hear about their experience tackling one of the country’s worst ever disasters

‘You must have felt completely out of control, completely swamped.

‘But relying on each other, relying on the kit, the training that you’ve done, you’ve clearly all pulled through and done a brilliant job and I only hope this is a one off and you don’t have any more seasons like this for quite some time.

‘Please stay safe, look after each other, but ultimately thank you so much for the courage and the determination you’ve all shown to get yourself through the season.’

William and Kate have often shared their affection for Canada,  having previously travelled to the country with George and Charlotte.

It comes as Prince William was praised for his ‘heartwarming’ appearance on ITV’s Pride of Britain: A Windrush Special.

Prince William delighted fans as her met with Alford Gardner, a 97-year-old who moved to the UK from Jamaica when he was 22 in 1948, in an ITV documentary last night

The Prince of Wales paid a surprise visit to Alford Gardner, a Windrush passenger who formed the first Caribbean cricket club in the UK in 1948, which aired last night.

Alford, 97, arrived in the UK in June 1948 on HMT Windrush before settling in Leeds to start a new life, as part of the government’s plan to rebuild society after the Second World War.

Now, nearly 80 years later, Alford, who is one of two surviving passengers on the ship, played cricket with the heir to the British throne during the ITV special.

Viewers welcomed the father-of-three’s appearance on the show, and many praised the royal for bringing ‘joy’ to the Windrush elders and ‘learning more about their story’.

‘Prince William loves to surprise and bring joy to those who need it. He does so with good humour and kindness,’ one viewer wrote. 

Alford set up the Caribbean Cricket Club in 1948 when he moved to Leeds after arriving in the UK on HMT Empire Windrush 

Alford was just 22 years old when he boarded the ship in Jamaica, and he shared the remarkable story of how he founded the cricket club to the Prince of Wales in the documentary.

The pair, who previously met on Windrush Day in 2022, travelled to Headingley cricket ground where William took to the crease with the bat as Alford bowled to him.

Bringing his sense of good humour, William asked the pensioner to ‘be gentle’ with his throw.

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