Above: Region 8 operations manager Steven Warrington briefs his crews prior to leaving.By Shaun Inguanzo
GREATER Dandenong firefighters are among those on the frontline battling bushfires in what is shaping up as one of the worst fire seasons in the state’s history.
Last Saturday, a convoy of about 50 vehicles from Country Fire Authority (CFA) Region 8, which includes Greater Dandenong, departed to Traralgon airfield before moving on to fight the Heyfield fires.
The awesome sight of the army of fire trucks, strike team leader cars and firefighters left Fountain Gate at 7.30am.
On Tuesday, Star spoke with Dandenong fire officer Trevor Owen, who said the Heyfield fires had proven challenging for firefighters because there were few opportunities to backburn.
“Essentially the Heyfield complex has a number of concerns,” he said.
“There are fires towards Thompson Dam, south of Licola, east of Licola and another further east.
“We are trying to do as much backburning as we can to reduce the amount of fuel available for the fires.
“It helps slow the fires when they come to interface between private property and national parks,” Mr Owen said.
“We are trying to get as many as those done, but we only have windows of opportunity for a few hours at a time.”
Region 8 community education coordinator Steven Corrigan said the region had about 35 firefighters on the ground and 12 in administration roles, with more expected to be called out.
Mr Corrigan said the statewide CFA figures showed 1904 firefighters were working in Gippsland, and a further 1480 Department of Sustainability and Environment, Department of Primary Industries and other emergency services staff were on the ground helping.
A total of 23 helicopters, 11 fixed wing bombers, 321 fire tankers, 139 ‘slip-ons’ – a smaller, more mobile tanker, 151 bulldozers, 14 graders, nine excavators, and 17 general trucks are also at the fires.
