A 13-member East Gippsland taskforce has departed Bairnsdale Airport this afternoon to support firefighting efforts at the Walwa – River Road fires.
Housed at Tallangatta Incident Control Centre’s base camp, the team is led by Strike Team Leader Aaron Lee and includes members with a diverse range of skills, from 4WD driving and chainsaw operation to first aid and frontline firefighting.
Assistant Fire Chief Officer Aaron Worcester and Group Officer Len Jeffs wished the crew well before their departure. Members include Aaron Lee and Steve Angel (Bairnsdale), Ryan Findley (Orbost), Kathryn Williams (Mossi-Tambo), Jane Caulfield (Johnsonville), Tracey Johnston (Mallacoota), Ross Hermans (Bruthen), Sarah O’Brien (Swifts Creek), Daniel Heinrich and Kate Parr (Lindenow), Adam Billings and Sam Bitchburn (Toorloo),
and Keiran Benton (Sarsfield).
The taskforce will replace crews already on the ground and utilise trucks and ultralight vehicles from Wodonga, Lenva, Baranduda, and Bonegilla. Their work will focus on indirect attack methods, including burning out operations and preparing fallback control lines to contain the fire.
With their expertise and dedication, the East Gippsland crew adds critical capacity to the firefighting effort at Walwa, underscoring the shared commitment to protecting lives, property, and the landscape.
Their deployment highlights the ongoing support East Gippsland crews provide to communities across Victoria during fire emergencies.
