Bring in the Army: Soldiers, bulldozers and bulk water carriers are deployed to help fight devastating bushfires
- Australian Defence Force resources deployed as fires continue to rage
- At least 873 NSW homes have been destroyed by the devastating fires
- Soldiers, bulldozers and bulk water carriers will be used to aid fighters
The federal government has deployed additional Australian Defence Force resources to support authorities in fire-hit NSW.
Specialist defence personnel will be sent to advise NSW fire incident controllers at each of the 14 control centres around the state, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in a statement on Friday.
Those personnel would be able to free up ADF resources such as bulldozers, bulk water carriers and troops for NSW firefighting use.
Australian Defence Force will see soldiers deployed to tackle the raging bushfires
Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured) flying over the bushfires in an Australian Defence Force helicopter
‘We’ll continue to do everything in our power to ensure our fireys have the resources and support they need,’ Mr Morrison said.
Mr Morrison said the ADF was already providing numerous services for firefighting authorities including helicopter search and rescue, transport, accommodation, meals and refuelling.
The addition of defence personnel at NSW fire control centres would help coordinate ADF logistical support, Defence Minister Linda Reynolds said.
Air Force bases were also supporting NSW’s air tanker fleet.
‘This behind the scenes support from the ADF frees up more of our firefighters to perform their specialised roles fighting the fires,’ Ms Reynolds said.
Two firefighters were killed and as many as 100 houses destroyed when bushfires ripped through NSW on Thursday and Saturday last week.
At least 873 NSW homes have been destroyed this fire season.
The government’s deployment of additional ADF personnel follows their decision to grant Commonwealth public service workers at least four weeks paid leave to fight bushfires in a plan to get more ‘boots on the ground’.
A birds eye view of the tragic bushfires ripping through the bush as the Army is deployed to assist exhausted fire fighters
Soldiers, bulldozers and bulk water tanks will be used to tackle the raging blazes as then relentless heatwave continues into next week
At least 873 NSW homes have been destroyed by the bushfires urging the government to deploy additional resources