Four Adelaide Hills firefighters are among a team of South Australian volunteers heading to the Northern Territory today to help with the worsening bushfire situation in the Barkly Region, near Tenant Creek.
The Northern Territory is currently experiencing multiple fires, including a large fire burning in the Barkly Region, covering an area of approximately 400,000 hectares in size, or three times the size of the ACT.
A team of 20 South Australian firefighting specialists, including two strike teams of volunteer firefighters, a Field Liaison Officer, Strike Team/Divisional Commander, a Jurisdiction Liaison Officer and a Special Operations Paramedic from the SA Ambulance Service, will fly to Alice Springs this morning, Wednesday 13 September.
Six trucks and a command car from the Mid North and Mount Lofty Ranges are already en route.
CFS Executive Director of Operations, Brenton Hastie, said the challenging operation will be South Australia’s first deployment for the season and the first trip to the NT since 2011.
“The Northern Territory has already faced a challenging season with double the number of fires in May and 136 more grassfires to the end of August, so the CFS is pleased to be able to help support Bushfires NT and their communities,” Brenton Hastie said.
“These fires threaten vast areas of bushland, pastoral properties and highways, with the growing 400,000 hectare fire having the potential to impact the town of Tennant Creek.”
The planned operation will see CFS personnel assist Bushfires NT with two rotations of staff and volunteers deployed each week for the next two weeks.
Four Adelaide Hills firefighters are among a team of South Australian volunteers heading to the Northern Territory today to help with the worsening bushfire situation in the Barkly Region, near Tenant Creek.
The Northern Territory is currently experiencing multiple fires, including a large fire burning in the Barkly Region, covering an area of approximately 400,000 hectares in size, or three times the size of the ACT.
A team of 20 South Australian firefighting specialists, including two strike teams of volunteer firefighters, a Field Liaison Officer, Strike Team/Divisional Commander, a Jurisdiction Liaison Officer and a Special Operations Paramedic from the SA Ambulance Service, will fly to Alice Springs this morning, Wednesday 13 September.
Six trucks and a command car from the Mid North and Mount Lofty Ranges are already en route.
CFS Executive Director of Operations, Brenton Hastie, said the challenging operation will be South Australia’s first deployment for the season and the first trip to the NT since 2011.
“The Northern Territory has already faced a challenging season with double the number of fires in May and 136 more grassfires to the end of August, so the CFS is pleased to be able to help support Bushfires NT and their communities,” Brenton Hastie said.
“These fires threaten vast areas of bushland, pastoral properties and highways, with the growing 400,000 hectare fire having the potential to impact the town of Tennant Creek.”
The planned operation will see CFS personnel assist Bushfires NT with two rotations of staff and volunteers deployed each week for the next two weeks.
