More than 90 firefighters and 21 trucks have pulled out of Bathurst this morning on a mission to protect embattled communities in the Blue Mountains as the area braces for a day of hellish conditions.
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The firefighters from Fire and Rescue NSW make up the Region West Strike Team.
Members of the strike team have travelled from a wide area that includes Dubbo, Orange, Leeton, Hay and the Upper Hunter.
It includes 16 crew from Kelso, Bathurst and Orange brigades, and four trucks.
Kelso pump (Bathurst) sent four staff, Bathurst pump offered eight staff and a tanker and Orange sent four staff and a tanker.
Experienced team members include captain Kevin Ryan, deputy captain Dave Pennells and retained firefighter Greg Mitchell from Orange who, between them, have 100 years of firefighting experience.
Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) Commissioner Greg Mullins has ordered what will be one of the largest mobilisations of fire engines and fire officers in the history of the organisation in response to the bushfire crisis.
Yesterday up to 170 fire tankers and fire engines crewed by nearly 800 officers were ready to deploy to the Blue Mountains. This number could rise to about 200 fire engines if the situation deteriorates.
Ten fire engines and crews from Queensland, and another 10 from Melbourne, will also be in Sydney to assist.
“The Blue Mountains and surrounding communities could be facing a bushfire threat on a scale that has not been experienced before,” Commissioner Mullins said.
“As such, FRNSW will will work shoulder to shoulder with NSW Rural Fire Service volunteers to protect lives and property in mountain communities.”
The Region West Strike Team will be led by Inspector Jeff Honey, who is based in Bathurst.
He said with strong westerly winds and high temperatures predicted, there are fears for some Blue Mountains communities.
Inspector Honey said a westerly wind is the worst scenario for firefighters because it will be hot and it will blow the fire towards Faulconbridge and Springwood. They also have serious concerns for Mount Victoria.
He said the Fire and Rescue personnel will essentially be adding to the strength of the firefighting effort.
“We are offering all the assistance we can to the Rural Fire Service and Fire and Rescue NSW crews already on the ground,” Inspector Honey said.
He added that a strike team is a quick response team that can respond en masse to an identified risk. The strike team leader said a lot of work done by his team over the coming days will be property protection.
“All our team members are highly trained and experienced in fighting bushfires,” he said. “I am very happy to be leading such a dedicated crew.”
Fire and Rescue NSW chief superintendent Neil Harris is hoping the weather will stay calm, but if it is as bad as forecast then conditions in the Blue Mountains today will be brutal.
