A CONTINGENT of South East Country Fire Service (CFS) volunteers will fly to New South Wales today to help combat horrific bushfires, which continue to rage throughout the state.
Eight volunteers departed from the Mount Gambier incident control centre yesterday travelling by bus to Adelaide where they will be briefed before their deployment this morning.
Yesterday there were still 50 active fires in New South Wales and more than 1750 firefighters from across the country were in the field to assist.
Compton Country Fire Service captain Mat Williamson will be part of tomorrow’s five day deployment and is expecting significant fire conditions.
“What they have experienced in terms of fire behaviour in New South Wales and Queensland is unprecedented,” Mr Williamson said.
“It’s going to be quite interesting and has been proven to be pretty dangerous in some areas, so everyone will be on the ball looking out for each other.”
Six lives have been lost and more than 600 homes have been wiped out by the fires, which have burned over 1.6 million hectares of land.
Since the start of the New South Wales bushfire season, fires have already burnt through more land than any other in the past 25 years.
“It is probably as bad as it is gets,” Mr Williamson said.
“Earlier in the year we went over to the Victorian fires and there was a fair bit of extreme behaviour over there, but I think this is actually that next level again.”
Mr Williamson said he was proud of the contingent of firefighters from Region 5 who have put their hand up to assist.
“I’m extremely proud because they are all just volunteers who are all willing to help out our New South Wales counterparts,” he said.
“It is probably worth noting most of them work, so it’s amazing they give up those working hours, but also credit must go to the employer for releasing them to allow them to provide this assistance.”
He said the experience will hold firefighters in good stead for the fire danger season in the Lower South East, which starts today.
“It’s always interesting to see the little differences between each fire service and you do pick up on things and learn something new everyday,” he said.
Mr Williamson said the deployment was an opportunity to provide emergency help in a particularly dire situation.
He said it was amazing to be involved with an organisation like the CFS.
“People will see us going on this deployment and it might trigger their interest in becoming a CFS volunteer and that’s a great thing,” he said.
“You can approach one of the brigades and show your willingness to join up, because it is quite rewarding.”
