NSW bushfire crisis: PM puts army reserve on standby
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has put army reservists on standby to help with the fires raging in northern NSW and Queensland.
NSW
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Prime Minister Scott Morrison has put army reservists on standby to help with the fires raging in northern NSW and Queensland.
The PM’s own aircraft has also been used to shuttle volunteers to fire sites, the Canberra-based RAAF aircraft one of two planes called on to help fight the devastating bushfires, with a second plane used to transport South Australian volunteers from the Edinburgh air base to Port Macquarie.
Mr Morrison convened an emergency cabinet meeting on Saturday to respond to the ongoing fire threat and confirmed there had been a request for the army, including reservists, to join the fire fight.
“I want to assure you about the high level of coordination and response that exists across all state and territory and the Commonwealth to ensure that we deploy where we need to,” he said.
“Those who have lost homes, those who are sitting in the smouldered ruins of properties that once stood, they are the ones that Australians will be thinking of today. And I want them to be assured of the kindness, love and support of their fellow Australians, and that their governments will be doing everything they can, not just to relieve them from this immediate situation, but to be there in the recovery in the weeks and the months and years ahead.”
Our fire & emergency services in both states are responding with great courage & professionalism. And the country is coming to their aid. Here you can see more SA volunteers heading off from RAAF Edinburgh to Port Macquarie to help fight the devastating bushfires in NSW. pic.twitter.com/upE4splBwn
— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) November 8, 2019
Mr Morrison said conditions in fire areas could worsen and will present “a real challenge” in the weeks ahead. He said the threat could also extend to other states of Australia and the Government may call on New Zealand for help if fire conditions worsen across the country.
“These fires will burn for some time. They will hopefully be able to be brought back to a more manageable level, but that said, the fires themselves will continue to present a risk for some weeks to come,” he said.
“We’re expecting very similar conditions in Western Australia over the next few days. We currently have 31 out of 37 districts in Western Australia in the High fire rating and three of those will go to Catastrophic in the days ahead, and they’ll be at both ends of that great big state. Down in south and also in the north.”
“The ADF is presenting options on call outs of reservists as may be necessary.”
“And if there is a need from other countries like New Zealand where we’ve provided support to New Zealand, I have no doubt that that will turn up as it did last year.”
In a statement, Labor leader Anthony Albanese said he extended his sympathies to Australians who had lost loved ones and property in the bushfires.
“News of lives lost is heartbreaking for the families and communities affected,” Mr Albanese said.
“Our thoughts are with the affected communities, and all those still in harm’s way.”
He said the ferocity of the bushfires was “unimaginable”.
In addition to volunteers from South Australia and the ACT, a spokeswoman for Emergency Management Victoria said discussions were being held today about whether Victoria would send additional firefighting and other resources to New South Wales and Queensland to battle the devastating bushfires.
Originally published as NSW bushfire crisis: PM puts army reserve on standby