Both governments framed the mission as neighbours helping each other. The embassy points out that during Australia's 2020 bushfires Indonesia sent personnel from its national disaster management agency and its military to help, under Operation Bushfire Assist.

For the NSW crews the work is familiar, even if the terrain is not. A large air tanker over burning peat faces the same problem as one over Australian bush: the fire often smoulders underground, so water from above can knock down flames and slow the spread, but it cannot put out the peat by itself. The air operation is scheduled to end on 12 November. Any extension will depend on what the next joint assessment finds.