Back to Main General News

ACT sends crews to fire-ravaged Victoria

Story Added : 09th February 2009

ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope has expressed deep sympathy to the people of Victoria on behalf of Canberra residents.

Ninety personnel and 10 tankers left last night for Beechworth in Victoria to help battle bushfires.

The team is made up of Rural Fire Service (RFS) volunteers and ACT Fire Brigade staff.

Mr Stanhope says the firefighters' experience in the 2003 Canberra bushfires should come in useful.

"These certainly are conditions that we are very experienced in," he said.

"We've done an awful lot of work in the last six years in terms of preparation and re-equipping and training and we're very well fit now to provide this assistance to Victoria in the absolute desperate hour of need."

Mr Stanhope says the ACT will help in any way possible.

"We've agreed to provide 100 firefighting personnel, 10 vehicles and support vehicles and support crews, and that's in relation to a response to a direct request from the Victorian authorities," he said.

"We're very willing and happy to provide that assistance."

Story Added by ABC.
Date Added : 09th February 2009

Also of Interest