North firefighters in smoking hot fundraiser

Charlie Edmonds, of the Kawakawa Fire Brigade, is a smoking hot Mr August in the 2018 Firefighters Calendar. PHOTO / Bex Charteris

Northland's volunteer firefighters have come up with a Christmas present for anyone who likes a man or woman in uniform.

Or, in this case, not very much uniform.

Three Northlanders feature in the latest Firefighter Calendars, which have been raising money for child cancer and firefighting sports events for the past 27 years.

As in previous years, the 2018 calendars are packed with bulging biceps and taut abs — but it's likely to be the last time, with the calendar adopting a family-focused theme from 2019.

The final batch of firefighting eye candy includes Charlie Edmonds of Kawakawa Fire Brigade, Tanya Bijl of Paihia and Cameron Graham, who trained in Kerikeri but is now based in Auckland.

Dutch-born Ms Bijl said she was asked to be in the calendar while taking part in the Sky Tower Challenge. She is normally one of the fastest women in the country but was slowed down this year after nearly cutting off a finger in a kitchen mishap.

She said it was her ''first and only time'' as a model but her friends and family thought the result was ''pretty awesome''.

Tony ''Scotty'' Scott of Pakaraka, founder of the Firefighter Sky Tower Challenge, has also been involved with the Firefighter Calendar since its inception 27 years ago, the last seven years as production manager.

Originally the main aim was to raise money to get Kiwi firefighters to the World Firefighting Games; these days it helps fund travel to any official firefighters' sports event or stair climb. It doubles as a fundraiser for child cancer.

Mr Scott said the current calendars, which are published in male and female versions, would be the last to feature scantily clad firefighters in fire-related scenes.

Fire and Emergency NZ, the body which had replaced the Fire Service and Rural Fire, was keen to see the calendar become more family oriented. The 2019 version would still feature real firefighters but they would be photographed with children dressed in firefighting kit and chosen by the Child Cancer Foundation.

Another thing that would change would be the price. From 2019 the calendar would cost $15 but with double the contribution to child cancer.

''It's been $10 for the past 27 years. Something had to give,'' he said.

Mr Scott said he was grateful for Northlanders' ongoing support of the calendar.

''It's just so much fun getting out there and selling them. It's phenomenal,'' he said.

The calendars are also available online at www.nzfirecal.co.nz. The photos are by Bex Charteris of Bethells Beach, Auckland.