He works from about April to October each year
During summer he has 15 days on, living in a camp, and then six days off, when he usually stays with family or friends or goes camping. He works hard, saves money and usually travels in the off-season.
"I can get all my worldly possessions in a car and still see out the back window."
The vast Canadian north is forested with spruce and pine trees, some 30m tall. The trees often grow in swampy conditions, but that doesn't stop forest fires.
"There can be 10 feet (3m) of water, with a fire burning like crazy on top. The only good thing about it is you have a water source usually pretty close."
It is the job of Mr Palmer's team to protect the oil and gas industry and the towns that service it in northern Alberta. He said most fires were caused by lightning. But mud caked on vehicle exhausts causes some - when it gets hot and falls off on flammable material.
The northern summer just passed was very dry, and Kiwi firefighters were called to help in Canada.
Fires are fought with pumped water or water dropped by helicopters. Or they are stopped by backburning or using heavy machinery to make firebreaks. Firefighters are in radio contact, and work is carefully planned.
The forests are home to bears and other animals, but firefighters seldom see them. They are used to fires and flee when they smell smoke.
"The forest is meant to burn. Some of the trees, like jack pines, have cones that release seeds after a fire."
Mr Palmer cycled the 87km from Raetihi to Wanganui at the weekend. He is in New Zealand because he met two Kiwis while cycling in Ecuador and Peru. He hopes to reach Bluff early next month.
