• WA firefighter taskforce left for QLD today
  • More than 100 WA firefighters have been deployed in last three weeks
  • Another taskforce scheduled to leave tomorrow

Exhausted firefighters and emergency service authorities over east have been provided with more relief today with the arrival of a fifth Western Australian firefighter taskforce team.

Seventeen career firefighters from the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES), and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions’ (DBCA) Parks and Wildlife Service flew out from Perth this morning to help with the battle against multiple blazes across Queensland.

The team is the fifth group of Western Australian volunteer and career officers who have given up more time with their friends, family and work to help exhausted firefighters in Queensland and New South Wales.

In total so far, 103 Western Australians have headed into catastrophic and emergency fire conditions to help out east coast counterparts and help protect communities and lives.

The DFES and DBCA career and volunteer personnel come from across Western Australia and are highly skilled and experienced in firefighting.

They have been undertaking a variety of incident management roles including aerial suppression, ground support, planning, logistics and operations.

Another taskforce is scheduled to leave tomorrow afternoon for NSW.

Comments attributed to Emergency Services Minister Francis Logan:

“Western Australia has a proud history of supporting other states in their time of crisis, and we are pleased to be able to help New South Wales and Queensland during these devastating fires.

“I want to congratulate and offer my thanks to our WA firefighters who have volunteered to go on this deployment and are leaving behind their loved ones to assist people in need on the other side of the country.

“We are watching what’s unfolding over east and I’m sure the people of Queensland and New South Wales will welcome the experience and assistance our volunteer and career officers are providing.”

Comments attributed to Environment Minister Stephen Dawson:

“I want to thank our Western Australian volunteer and career officers who have been helping battle these terrible bushfires over east and for the support they have given communities that have been affected.

“These firefighters bring with them a great deal of experience and will play a vital role in helping to relieve exhausted crews who have been battling fires under extreme conditions over the past few weeks.

“This has also been an opportunity for our specialist Western Australian firefighters to share their extensive knowledge and draw on the expertise from interstate counterparts on bushfire management in a different environment.”

https://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/McGowan/2019/11/WA-firefighters-providing-much-needed-relief-for-NSW-and-QLD.aspx