A 59-year-old firefighter has died after being struck by a falling tree while battling a bushfire on the New South Wales mid-north coast, marking what the state premier described as a 'foreboding beginning' to the bushfire season.
The man, a division commander with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) who had worked at the Lake Munmorah depot for 25 years, suffered cardiac arrest after the incident on Sunday night and died at the scene. He had been a field officer since 1996 and was described as an 'experienced firefighter' by Environment Minister Penny Sharpe.
NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Trent Curtin said the firefighter was checking on colleagues during a back-burning operation when the tree fell, most likely damaged by fire. 'His efforts on the fire ground to make sure that our firefighters were safe … are just a testament to the work that he performed,' Curtin said.
Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib said the death was a reminder of the dangers firefighters face. 'These are people who put themselves in harm's way to protect the community, and this particular person has made the ultimate sacrifice,' he said. Premier Chris Minns called it a 'deeply distressing turn of events'.
As of Monday, there were 52 fires burning across NSW, nine of which were not contained. Over 500 firefighters and 160 vehicles were deployed. The blaze at Bulahdelah covered about 3,500 hectares, while an uncontrolled fire at Milsons Gully in the Upper Hunter was approximately 11,000 hectares. On Sunday, 16 homes were destroyed in a fire at Koolewong on the Central Coast.
Storms and damaging winds are expected to keep fire danger high across parts of Australia, and authorities have urged communities to remain vigilant. Federal and state disaster assistance has been activated for affected areas.
