CFA District 20 Members have provided support to Forest Fire Management Victoria fighting bushfires in the Grampians. Photos: Supplied
CFA District 20 crews have lent a hand to Forest Fire Management Victoria’s efforts to control ongoing fires in the Grampians.
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Members from Echuca, Kyabram and Rochester were among the 25 people who travelled to the Grampians on Friday, January 31, also bringing five tankers and one forward command vehicle.
Strike team leader Paul Nicoll was among the volunteers who conducted patrols of containment lines and worked to prevent breakouts in forests and on private land.
“It’s part of volunteering,” he said.
“We all love to go and help each other and help other teams.”
Mr Nicoll said the conditions were harsh for those working on the front line, with very hot temperatures, wind and storms rolling through over the weekend.
There were no injuries or significant losses that the District 20 members came across.
Members have been firefighting alongside crews from across Victoria and beyond.
The team was stationed in Wallaby Rocks on Saturday, February 1, moving to Victoria Valley on Sunday, February 2.
A second group of CFA District 20 members joined the cause on February 2, swapping with the original crew.
More volunteers also headed over on Wednesday, February 5 to provide support.
Mr Nicoll believes that in total, around 75 personnel from around the Campaspe and District 20 region have assisted with firefighting efforts in various capacities.
The District 20 members have been volunteering on a rotating basis in the Grampians since Friday, January 31.
The first fires began in the Grampians more than 50 days ago, with members from some districts assisting for continuous weeks.
Each strike team works for around three working days, which can be more than 12 hours long.
Night shifts can be 14 to 16 hours long, making for a tiring experience.
For Mr Nicoll, it was rewarding to support those who provided support to his home region during the 2022 floods.
“It’s really fulfilling to be able to go and help out another community,” he said.
“In this district, they all came to us when we had the floods back three years ago.
“They came from all over the state to help us, so this district is more than willing to send people to other districts to help them out in a time of need.”
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