ADF chief issues order to allow firefighting deployments

Defence has been placed on standby to send thousands of national troops to help the bushfire crisis with commanders ordered to deploy local troops to combat the catastrophic threat.

Defence has been placed on standby to send thousands of national troops to help the bushfire crisis with commanders ordered to deploy local troops to combat the unprecedented catastrophic wildfire threat.

Defence Minister Linda Reynolds on Monday wrote to the chief of the Australian Defence Force General Angus Campbell to give the exceptional order to his commanders to “make it clear” they have the authority to deploy defence resources as they saw fit at a local level to deal with emergencies.

Senate Reynolds said the forecast of catastrophic fires throughout the country was “deeply worrying” and all Commonwealth agencies were being authorised to respond.

The fire front at Beechmont, Gold Coast Hinterland during the November bushfires. Picture: Aaron Kearney

She wrote to General Campbell yesterday afternoon authorising to make the order under Defence Assistance to the Civil Community Category 1 protocols.

The order effectively primes thousands of troops and vehicles for deployment.

“Senior ADF officers and other commanders are empowered to provide emergency assistance in local emergency situations to save human life, prevent extensive loss of animal life, or widespread damage to property,” Senator Reynolds said.

“While our ADF personnel are not trained firefighters, they can provide other support for the nation’s front line first responders.”

A firefighter at the Port Macquarie bushfire. Picture: AFP

A category 1 order is the first stage of three with the second level issued to deal with more extensive multi-levelled emergencies and a category 3 being a recovery from a civil disaster.

There is already considerable support being provided by the Australian Defence Force with the RAAF heavily involved in moving equipment and manpower to the fire fronts in NSW and Queensland. The prime minister’s own government jet is being re-tasked.

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Other support includes:

• An RAAF 737 Boeing transported ACT Rural Fire Service firefighters from Canberra to Port Macquarie to help fire fires there;

• Two C-130J Hercules aircraft transported firefighters and their equipment from Adelaide and also Hobart to Port Macquarie;

• The Army barracks at Singleton is on standby to provide accommodation and catering support for firefighters from the Victorian Country Fire Authority being dispatched north overnight and

• Queensland Fire and Emergency Service is using Kokoda Barracks in Canungra to refuel aircraft helping the bushfire fighting efforts.

ADF disaster planners are also now embedded in both the Queensland State Disaster Co-ordination Centre and NSW Rural Fire Service headquarters to help alert commanders to where resources could be used.

Originally published as ADF chief issues order to allow firefighting deployments