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These firefighters are causing a fire hazard with their smoldering new calendar.
An elite array of Australia’s hottest firefighters have offered up their good looks in the name of raising money for wildlife. The Australian Firefighters Calendar — an internationally acclaimed pinup fund-raiser now in its 29th year — is back and has released a slate of choices for keeping time in 2022.
Last year, the calendar was distributed in over 100 countries, and this year there are even more offerings for fans of muscles and animals alike with five editions — classic, cats, dogs, horse and mixed animals, as well as a summer edition. All are available for $16.10 online, with free shipping and a 10% discount available for those who buy three or more calendars.
In order to ensure that the monthly timetables featured only the most attractive laddermen down under, curators undertook a grueling, monthlong process sifting through submitted photos of would-be models. Winners then took part in a 25-day photo shoot featuring not just the nation’s brawniest entrants but the cutest farm animals, rescue horses and pets.
“We received over 5,000 photos of every type of animal you can imagine to take part in the photoshoot, and they enter from all over the world,” Australian Firefighters Calendar creative director Crystal Doohan told NewsFlare. “We even had a lady from Moscow that wanted [to] fly her cat to Australia!”
Yet, some sultry winners didn’t even submit their own images and were selfie virgins ahead of the shoot.
“I received a phone call congratulating me that I had been selected for the 2022 Australian Firefighters Calendar, I thought to myself that I had never sent an application in? What is this guy talking about?” said Brisbane-based smoke-jumper Ricky Smith, who says he had never even taken a photo of himself before being featured. “I found out later that my girlfriend had done it without me knowing. Before I knew it I was standing in front of seven members of the photography team. I was absolutely terrified.”
Funds raised through calendar sales go largely to local animal welfare groups including Safe Haven Animal Rescue, Australian Seabird Rescue, Fauna Rescue of South Australia and Currumbin Wildlife Hospital.
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