If you’ve ever bought a calendar just for the firefighters cuddling rescue animals, you’re in good company, because it turns out the whole world is on board. The Australian Firefighters Calendar has been around for 34 years, and the 2027 edition is its biggest release yet. It was already popular in Australia and the US, and this year its reach has stretched into Europe and Asia for the first time. Every year the money goes to animal rescues, disaster recovery and looking after first responders, so you can buy it knowing the calendar is doing some good too.

The Firefighters Needed Crowd Control in Shanghai

This year the firefighters took the calendar to the China International Import Expo in Shanghai, and nobody was ready for what happened next. There were only 1,200 calendars to go around and more than 5,000 people signed up for the waitlist. Expo organisers actually had to ask that no more calendars be handed out on the first day because the crowds were getting a bit much for everyone, firefighters included. Content from the pavilion went viral on Xiaohongshu, which is basically China’s version of Instagram, and racked up more than 10 million views. The good news for fans over there is that the firefighters are heading back to Shanghai for the expo from 4 to 10 November 2026, with a team of up to 10 firefighters.

Hong Kong Raised $37,000 for Animals

After the Shanghai frenzy, the firefighters were invited to Hong Kong, where they sold calendars and raised $37,000 for Hong Kong Dog Rescue and the SPCA HK. Right as they were wrapping up the trip, the tragic Tai Po fire happened. The calendar teamed up with the Australian Association of Hong Kong and donated 1,000 calendars, which were snapped up by Aussie expats and locals and raised another $20,000 for the Hong Kong Red Cross Tai Po appeal.

A Sanctuary in Sicily Joins the Team

For the first time ever, the calendar is supporting an animal sanctuary in Europe. L’Arca di Natalia in Sicily has officially joined the calendar family, and at the April photoshoot on the Gold Coast the firefighters wore merchandise with the sanctuary’s slogan “Semu i stissi”, which means “We are all the same”. It’s a lovely message about treating every animal with equality and compassion. The sanctuary’s founder, Silvia Clementi, said being the first in Europe to get the calendar’s support is an honour, and that every animal’s life has value no matter where in the world it is.

Where the Money Goes in Australia

It’s not all overseas adventures. The calendar has supported Wildcare Inc, which looks after sick, injured and orphaned native wildlife in the Northern Territory, for five years in a row, and it has helped them grow to 140 carers. It also helps volunteer firefighters through CAVFA, including 23 volunteers in Victoria who lost their homes in the bushfires. Every cat and kitten in the Cat Edition is a rescue, and the firefighters also lent their profile to Petbarn Foundation’s Rescue Mission 2026, which helped drive record results for the campaign, with 1,955 dogs rescued and 615 cats rehomed.

Pick Your Favourite Edition

There are five editions for 2027, so there’s one for every kind of animal lover (and every kind of firefighter fan):

• Dog Edition: firefighters paired with rescued dogs of all shapes and sizes
• Cat Edition: candid and charming moments with playful felines
• Horse Edition: a tribute to rural resilience and the bond between people and horses
• Mixed Animal Edition: koalas, farm animals, birds and more
• Hero Edition: solo portraits of Australia’s bravest

Grab Your Copy and Help Out

The calendar raises money for animal rescues, disaster relief and support for the firefighters who turn up when things go wrong, so it’s one of the easier ways to do some good without leaving the couch. Head over to the Australian Firefighters Calendar website to pick your favourite edition (or be greedy and get a few) and help support the charities and causes the calendar backs. You get to look at firefighters with rescue animals all year, and the animals and communities that need it get some help, which sounds like a win all round.