They say high temperatures and strong winds will push much of the state’s fire danger rating into “Armageddon” territory.
The Nambucca region’s Rural Fire Service captain Paulla Brownhill broke down in tears this morning as her team flushed mud from their dented truck.
“Every drop is sacred but we’ve picked up sludge from a dam and it’s making our foam not work,” she said.
“It’s clogging our filters so the truck is half useless. We have to get out there to help again today but we can’t until this is fixed.”
A tree branch had also fallen on the cabin, smashing the siren and roof, while they fought to save a community hall at South Arm on the weekend.
“I absolutely love my team,” Mrs Brownhill said.
“They defended South Arm hall – that’s a community hub – the town just needed something positive.”
Mrs Brownhill left her home at 6am on Friday as infernos tore through bush toward homes, working a 30-hour shift.
She said another captain, aged in his 60s, did a 40-hour shift protecting homes in nearby Talarm.
Temperatures are expected to reach the mid-30s and, coupled with high winds, mean a rare “catastrophic” fire danger rating has been issued in parts of NSW.
“Words like ‘Armageddon‘ get used too much but I’m worried it’s tomorrow – I just hope I’m wrong,“ Ms Brownhill's husband Frank said.
The veteran firefighter said everything from hazard reduction restrictions to the drought created a perfect storm for the fires.
“Too many people who get paid too much aren’t listening,” he said.
“We’ve dodged bullets for six years but we knew this was coming.”
