US sending firefighters to Victoria

news.com.au ^ | 14th February 2009

[naturalman1975]

THE US will send 60 experienced firefighters to Australia to help battle the remaining Victorian blazes, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said today. The US Department of Interior will dispatch 29 firefighters and the US Forest Service is deploying 31 in response to an official Victorian request for assistance, Mr Salazar said.

Twenty one bushfires are still burning across Victoria, after swarms of devastating infernos killed at least 181 people and destroyed nearly 2000 homes.

[naturalman1975]

Thank you, America.

[BossLady]

I was hoping we would send some help!!! YEAH!!! ;)

[naturalman1975]

Hmmm - countries that have offered to (and in some cases are) send firefighters:

USA
New Zealand
United Kingdom
Canada

Is there some sort of pattern here? (Note - in fairness, because I am not going to ignore any genuine offer of help, Indonesia has offered the services of police victim identification teams, not firefighters, but still something we sadly do need).

[CaptainAmiigaf]

I am once again, proud of an action by MY country. However I do have a question. Will any of those firefighters be back in this country to assist the state of California fight its ANNUAL FIRESTORM SEASON? I believe the “environmental” cause of the horrible fires “down under” are the same threat on our west coast. Some people are beyond belief.

[naturalman1975]

They’ve deployed for 35 days - I’m not sure when California’s firestorm season starts, but they should be back in the US by late March.

[Chgogal]

This is the very least we can do for our Best Ally. How are you holding up?
How are you holding up? Have you been on the frontline? If so, I imagine you will go back. Be careful and safe.

[naturalman1975]

I was out on Thursday night to one fairly large fire. Generally my Brigade has been tasked to dealing with local fires, rather than sent to the big ones. They still need people around to deal with normal fire activitity, obviously, and we were very active in late January with some local fires.

I'm fine. I'll go where they send me.

[Chgogal]

Bush fires are so very dangerous and tragic and people are so very attached to their homes, their lives. It’s so easy to misjudge the distance and speed of the fire. I pray the fires come to an end soon.

Is there any chance the winds will turn the fires on to themselves?