6 firies in strife at Jamieson

:(

It was the New Zealanders http://au.news.yahoo.com/060922/2/10mrm.html, lets hope all are OK.

Firefighters caught in blaze
December 16, 2006 - 4:58PM

A number of New Zealand firefighters have been injured while battling blazes on campsites north of Melbourne.

A Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) spokesman said the men were taken to Mansfield Hospital following "the incident", which occurred about 2.30pm (AEDT) today.

The firefighters were battling a blaze at the Tobacco Flat campsites near Sheepyard Flat in the Mansfield area.

Rural Ambulance spokesman John Mullen said six firefighters had been caught in a burn-over.

"As a result one has critical burns," Mr Mullen said.

Four of the firefighters suffered burns and smoke inhalation while another suffered smoke inhalation.

All six were airlifted out of the region then taken by road to Mansfield Hospital.

The critically injured man is expected to be airlifted to Melbourne later today.

Firefighters have been taking advantage of mild weather conditions today to slow the spread of fires across the state.

Despite the milder conditions, residents are being warned to remain vigilant about the fires burning in Gippsland and the state's north-east, which have claimed one life and destroyed at least 15 homes.

Residents are also being warned to expect increased smoke throughout the day as firefighters step up backburning operations ahead of hotter weather later in the week.

The Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) says there are six fires burning across the state, covering more than 500,000 hectares.

The DSE says there are no urgent threat messages for the North-East and Gippsland areas, although fires in the area continue to merge, with the North-East Alpine and Mt Terrible fires merging before joining the Darling-Cynthia fire.

Residents in the Jamieson, Kevington, Gaffney's Creek, A1 Mine Settlement, Woods Point, Merrijig, Sawmill Settlement and Mirimbah areas are advised to remain vigilant.

The DSE says the fire on Mt Buffalo is moving up the north-western face and residents should expect to see increased smoke from the Nug Nug area as back burning increases.

Fire has also crossed to the east side of the Buckland Valley, although the DSE says it does not pose an immediate threat to private property.

In the Bright-Tawonga Gap area, spot fires have been seen to the west and south of Falls Creek and residents can expect to see significant smoke due to back burning in the area.

In the Bairnsdale complex north of Dargo, the fire has spread towards Mt Steve and Dargo High Plains Road and has also crossed the Wentworth River, according to the DSE.

All residents in the area are required to stay on alert and prepare themselves and their properties for continuing bushfire threats.

Central Gippsland residents and people living near the Coopers Creek fire must remain alert and continue to monitor the fire situation, says the DSE.

Meanwhile, police continue to hunt two teenage boys, one riding a 250 motorbike with a blue tank, seen at the source of a deliberately lit Gippsland fire that killed a man and destroyed several homes on Thursday.

theage.com.au with AAP

Four to The Alfred and two with minor burns being treated at Mansfield. ABC 774 news just a minute ago

not nice to hear at all :(
they come over to help us with our fires and this happens to them

dave

The Grey Nomads
Relaxed forum for the grey nomad community to keep in touch

I knew most of the above at the time I posted but the info wasn't in the public domain. I had to wait until I posted what I did.

At the same time I was dealing with a head on in the North which taxed the resources available to both incidents a bit.

Speculating but it sounds like they were working a flank when it turned. Being on foot they would have been caught more easily.

Bugger. Hope it works out okay.

Dave