Australian firefighters to help battle US wildfires

23 July, 2002

A senior firefighter from State Forests of NSW will today fly to the USA to determine how Australian firefighters can help to battle forest wildfires sweeping across 12 western American states, the NSW Minister for Forestry, Kim Yeadon, today said.

"For the second time in three years western USA is in the grip of major wildfire emergency and American fire authorities are asking Australia and New Zealand for help," Mr Yeadon said.

"Already, almost 1.5 million hectares of land across a dozen states has been ravaged by wildfire and local firefighters are currently battling more than 50 major fires.

"At this stage in the US fire season the total area of forest burnt is well up on the same time in the 2000 fire emergency which was regarded then as the worst in the USA for fifty years.

"Across much of the western USA the combination of drought conditions, expected hot, dry weather and high forest fuel loads make most forested areas vulnerable to rapid fire growth and extreme fire behaviour.

"In response to a request for assistance through Australia’s National Forest Fire Management Group, State Forests fire manager, Mr Paul de Mar, is now on his way to the US National Interagency Fire Centre in Boise, Idaho.

"He will be working with US fire authorities to determine how Australia can most effectively contribute to the fire fighting effort and relieve exhausted local firefighters.

"We expect this will again involve sending a contingent of specialist Australian and New Zealand fire fighters including aircraft managers, incident controllers and field commanders with extensive experience in managing large, complex forest fires."

Mr Yeadon said that during the last major US wildfire emergency in 2000 Paul de Mar was one of nine expert firefighters sent to the USA from State Forests and the NSW Rural Fire Service. He was also team leader of the 96 member Australian fire fighting contingent.

"This time he will be the Australian liaison officer on the US National Multi-agency Command Group and will oversee the induction and deployment of the Australian firefighters when they arrive in the USA," Mr Yeadon said.

Further Information:

Minister Yeadon and Paul de Mar will be available for interviews at Minister Yeadon’s office, level 36 Governor Macquarie Tower, at 10.45am.