NYC Billboard Thanks US Crews who Battled Aussie Wildfires

Feb. 20, 2020

"We wanted to say a big 'thank you' to all the firefighters who have worked so hard over the last few months," the New South Wales Rural Fire Service said about its 70-foot Times Square billboard.

Source Firehouse.com News

A 70-foot billboard in New York City's Times Square thanks U.S. firefighters for their help battling Australian wildfires.

Australia's New South Wales Rural Fire Service used a massive billboard in New York City to thank the U.S. firefighters who helped fight that country's devastating wildfires.

"We wanted to say a big 'thank you' to all the firefighters who have worked so hard over the last few months, and to the community for its support," the agency stated in a social media post that included video of the billboard. "And when we say big, we mean big—70 feet tall in Times Square, New York."

The electronic billboard's size wasn't arbitrary, either.

"Imagine fighting a bushfire higher than this billboard," the billboard's video states. "Thank you to the brave Australian and US firefighters defending Australia. And to the world for all your support."

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Ad agency Silvercast Media donated the billboard space, the fire service told CNN.

Last week, Australian officials said all the fires in New South Wales had been contained, which was a first since they broke out. The United States sent more than 100 firefighters to help, the first time since 2010.