LIGHTNING strikes kept Rural Fire Service crews on high alert on the weekend with eleven brigades braving scorching temperatures to battle out-of-control blazes.
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The Rapid Aerial Response Team – a group of local firefighters trained to combat hard-to-reach blazes by winching firefighters in – has also set up shop at the Tamworth Airport.
The team will be on standby on very high fire danger days or when total fire bans have been declared across the district.
And, they got straight to work on day one on Saturday during the total fire ban.
“Generally any fires within half-hour to 40 minutes flight time, they will be dispatched too,” RFS District Officer Sean Barton said.
“On Saturday, the team were deployed to Armidale to assist with a fire up there, they were also deployed to fires on New England Gully Rd at Moonbi.”
A series of blazes along New England Gully Rd on Saturday afternoon saw the chopper back up ground crews.
The fires also saw police called in.
Police said the helicopter was drawing water out of a farmer’s dam when it’s alleged the farmer became hostile towards RFS crews on the ground as well as in the helicopter.
Police have been told the resident allegedly made threats to the crews to get off his property.
Officers attended the location, and following preliminary investigations, four firearms were seized from the property and the man’s shooters licence was also suspended.
Police said investigations were continuing.
“In incidents of an emergency, under the Rural Fire Services Act we have the legislative capability to take water when and where it is needed,” Mr Barton said.
Mr Barton said 11 brigades were called out on Saturday after reports of up to 20 fires burning across the zone – including one which threatened to shut the Oxley Highway between Tamworth and Gunnedah.
Fire and Rescue NSW crews from Tamworth also assisted RFS personnel on the ground.
“We had 10 confirmed fires and they were kept busy with our last brigade returning home about 4.30am on Sunday,” Mr Barton said.
“All the fires occurred about 3pm on Saturday, and in the space of an hour, so we were certainly subjected to the troublesome end of the thunderstorm, and all 10 fires were confirmed to be as a result of lightning strikes.”
On Sunday, crews were called out again to more blazes, and the RFS is urging locals to be vigilant.
“We have had quite a number of brigades attending illegal burn-offs in the last two days and they are due to the public not staying up to date with the fire bans and fire danger ratings,” Mr Barton said.
“It’s important to remind residents to remain extra vigilant … we have seen numerous fires spread out of control as a result of complacent landholders.”