Alpha deployment departed Auckland for Queensland on Monday, 6th November, to support our Australian colleagues battling a large number of vegetation fires across the state. The request for aid from Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) came due to ongoing significant bushfire activity across several regions in the southern part of the state.
Since October 21st, QFES have responded to over 1000 vegetation fires and currently have 38 active incidents and 36 bushfires. During this time over 70 houses have been lost and more than 600 damage assessments have been undertaken.
Alpha is made up of four five-person crews and two strike team leaders. The continent includes five firefighters from the Department of Conservation. Alpha Strike team joined a six-person Incident Management Team (IMT) who arrived a day prior.
Since arriving, Alpha made their way to Toowoomba and then on to the town of Warwick which is around 130kms south-west of Brisbane. This location allows them to work on the Wallangarra, Dalveen and Donnybrook fires currently active in the area. Tasks the strike team have undertaken include removing trees that are blocking access and identifying and treating hotspots.
Our firefighters have been busy in South-West Queensland over the last week, but it’s not all flames and hotspots. The strike team took time out to visit Dalveen State School, where the students had had to evacuate when a bushfire came close to their school grounds a few days earlier.
Thank you to all our Alpha crew members putting in the mahi across the ditch and to their whānau and friends back home who provide valuable support. Our IMT team will return to New Zealand on November 16th, and the Bravo Strike Team, will follow a day later on November 17th.
Since October 21st, QFES have responded to over 1000 vegetation fires and currently have 38 active incidents and 36 bushfires. During this time over 70 houses have been lost and more than 600 damage assessments have been undertaken.
Alpha is made up of four five-person crews and two strike team leaders. The continent includes five firefighters from the Department of Conservation. Alpha Strike team joined a six-person Incident Management Team (IMT) who arrived a day prior.
Since arriving, Alpha made their way to Toowoomba and then on to the town of Warwick which is around 130kms south-west of Brisbane. This location allows them to work on the Wallangarra, Dalveen and Donnybrook fires currently active in the area. Tasks the strike team have undertaken include removing trees that are blocking access and identifying and treating hotspots.
Our firefighters have been busy in South-West Queensland over the last week, but it’s not all flames and hotspots. The strike team took time out to visit Dalveen State School, where the students had had to evacuate when a bushfire came close to their school grounds a few days earlier.
Thank you to all our Alpha crew members putting in the mahi across the ditch and to their whānau and friends back home who provide valuable support. Our IMT team will return to New Zealand on November 16th, and the Bravo Strike Team, will follow a day later on November 17th.
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