Australian fire specialists to help US fire crews

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Australian fire specialists to help US fire crews

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A Bellingen local is leading a team of 10 New South Wales fire fighting specialists en-route to the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />United States of America to help battle their ongoing blazes over the next five weeks.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Leader for the NSW contingent from the Rural Fire Service, State Forests, NSW Fire Brigades and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), Dorrigo-based Ranger Tony Prior said his team will be among 44 Australian and New Zealand fire fighters helping control Californian bushfires.

“Australian fire fighters are among the best in the world and our aviation specialists are always in high demand in situations like these,” Mr Prior said.

“We also learn a lot from these experiences and it is really good to be able to share our knowledge and skills helping others in their time need,” he said.

Mr Prior along with two NPWS officers from Jindabyne and Bulga will be helicopter-base managers, coordinating helicopter operations directly attacking the massive fires burning in steep country or directly threatening property.

All are highly experienced aircraft officers whose skills will be needed to co-ordinate base operations safely especially with the high number of helicopter movements and short ‘turn-arounds’ required when large fires are burning.

The fire-fighters flew out of Sydney yesterday for a briefing in Boise, Idaho before being deployed to air bases in northern California.

The three NPWS officers are among 900 staff trained to fight fires on the ground or as part of incident management teams.

NPWS fire fighters not only integrate fire management with other NSW fire authorities, they regularly assist other Australian states as well as participate in international deployments.