Volunteers from the MIA Strike Force have returned following operations alongside Victorian firefighters working to contain fires burning in the Alpine National Park.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Strike Force included 15 volunteers from RFS brigades at Barellan, Coleambally, Paynters Siding, Fivebough Stony Point, Yanco, Carrathool and Hanwood.
Response team coordinator Steve Kada from the RFS' Mia District Office in Griffith lead the group.
Other volunteers included Steve Woodham, Rob Liddle, Hayden Dunn, Jim Hunter, Graeme Dunn, Alastair MacDonald, Ian Thompson, Chris Langley, Andy Cappararo, Lynn Woodham, Pat O'Callaghan, Angela Sampson, Thomas Breed and Michael Lamont.
Mr Kada said the main benefit of the joint operations was that it helps make the brigades more cohesive when working together.
"It complements our training, we train to be able to work across the state with no dramas," Mr Kada said.
"There were a couple of first timers and the experience really reiterated to them the importance of the training we do and having our equipment be the same across the entire state.
"We had people from Carrathool working with people from Narrandera, you hear names and you hear voices on the radio over the years but it's good to finally meet people and you know their strengths and weaknesses."
The fire burnt 13,247 hectares of land and was located on the Dinner Plain which is situated within the National Park.
"It wasn't very wide but It was a long fire and we were concerned that with a wind change one of the flanks would become a head," Mr Kada said.
"We undertook some back burning along the eastern flank of the fire and mop up all their material that could be ignited by the fire to a certain depth."
Mr Kada said the terrain was hard going for his volunteers with the fire being centered around a river valley meaning the fire had to be fought while on a slope.