Bushfires: Exhausted fireys welcome ‘hotshot cavalry’
An elite team of US firefighters has joined the battle in Victoria’s alpine region on burnt-out Mount Buffalo.
An elite team of American forest firefighters has joined the battle in Victoria’s alpine region, venturing into the wilderness of Mount Buffalo to fight the mega-blaze.
In the US they’re called “hotshot crews”, teams of 20 specialist firefighters who march in by foot or are flown in to remote locations by helicopter to contain outbreaks of fires that are inaccessible to regular crews.
The 24 firefighters come from all over the US, and they are equipped with chainsaws, mattocks and blowers.
Leonard Dimaculangan, 41, works as the captain for the Texas Canyon Hotshots. In Victoria, he’s the crew boss for the team at Mount Buffalo.
He said he and his crew knew the horrors of bushfire season only too well and were honoured to be chosen to help out in Australia.
“It’s tragic. We know what it feels like back home and being able to lend a hand here, it’s an honour to come,” he said.
Mr Dimaculangan’s home base is at the Angeles National Forest in southern California.
“All this country is beautiful,” he said. “It’s very similar to things back home like Georgia, Florida, where the moisture level is still high but it will still rip and burn, which can be devastating.”
Dry lightning struck the Mount Buffalo plateau on New Year’s Eve, sparking 14 fires that have merged to become a mega-blaze.
After dangerous conditions eased slightly at the weekend, sustained waterbombing quelled some of the fires, slowing the spread of the blaze and opening the land to containment work by the US hotshot crew.
On Monday the team marched in formation with their heavy gear across a charred valley to scout out the landscape and find where they could undertake vital containment work to stop the blaze.
The bush of Mount Buffalo is parched but the biggest risk is the volatility of the eucalyptus trees, which Mr Dimaculangan said could throw embers 40km away.
While some Australian forest firefighters are qualified to undertake this arduous work, the Americans must be able to hike 4.8km in less than 45 minutes while carrying 20kg. They also have additional specialisations in operating their heavy equipment.
Justine Gude is working the chainsaw on this mission. She said she usually didn’t accept any work after November but felt compelled to travel to Australia to help.
“You look at these terrible stories and everyone wants to know what they can do to help,” she said.
“Not everyone’s in the position where they can help, and fortunately I’m in that unique position where I actually can help, so I jumped at the opportunity.”
In Victoria, four men have died as a result of the fires and 340 residential properties and 532 non-residential structures have been destroyed or significantly affected.
While the Country Fire Authority battles to save towns and properties, Forest Fire Management Victoria firefighters are the ones working to stop the spread of fires in dense bushland.
FFMV firefighter Julian Atherstone, 49, said the Americans arrived just in time to support the weary crew assigned to Mount Buffalo. “It’s great to have these guys over here because they just provide an enthusiasm and a dynamic to the effort, which is what we need, particularly in this situation where we’re under-resourced,” he said. “It was only a couple of days ago there were only four of us.”
In the US, forest firefighters can be sent away on missions for up to 21 days before they get a chance for a break.
Eduardo Valle, 30, will miss his wife and two-year-old daughter who he left behind in Los Angeles but said he was honoured to be chosen among the thousands who applied to come to Australia.
“She’s two years old so she doesn’t know,” he said. “I’ll FaceTime her at night and talk to her and she’s just smiling.”
Mr Valle is staying in the town of Bright with the other US firefighters. He said helping people was just part of the job.
“We’re anxious to work,” he said. “It's part of our job to help whoever’s in need.”
More Coverage
Read related topics:Bushfires
Youth mental health a worry for families
Concerned about a young loved one’s mental health? You’re not alone, and starting a conversation about it with them is challenging. Here’s some advice on what do.
Read more
High profile restaurateur charged over Nazi sign at protest
Alan Yazbek, the owner of famous hatted restaurants Nomad in Sydney and Melbourne’s Reine & La Rue, has been revealed as the protester arrested after allegedly holding up a swastika sign at a pro-Palestine rally.
Read more