In typical Australian style, the weather has moved from fire to flood with no decent respite in between for emergency crews.

On the 1st February 2020, mother nature took one last swipe with fire, releasing a raging wildfire which would move the better part of 6 km within 18 hours and present a significant containment challenge for crews in a landscape that had been baked completely dry. So dry even the gum trees were starting to give up.

With the fire being in the Wentworth Falls area, the brigade played a significant role in its management over the next few days up until the arrival of the rain. Not just a little bit of rain, biblical rain.

Australia is a land of drought and flooding rain, and this year was no exception.

In the same town where we were chasing a running wildfire a week earlier, we were suddenly helping members of the community clear fallen trees from their properties, unblock overflowing  drains and prevent drivers from travelling through flood waters. 400mm+ of rainfall within the space of 3 days to be specific, the most Sydney has seen in a single event for the last 2 decades. An immense amount of rain in an already distressed landscape meant flash flooding, landslides and problems at the other end of the scale for us.

In addition to emergencies, the brigade began the process of After Action Review (AAR). AAR’s are an incredibly important aspect of any firefighting activity as it allows everyone to reflect in a safe space and talk about what went well and what didn’t go so well so we can improve what we do next time, because although 5.5 Million Hectares (13.6 Million Acres) has burnt this year, it will only be in a few short years the bush will be ready to burn again.

With floods finished (for now), trucks cleaned & repaired and crews settling back into normal life, the brigade is now shifting its focus back to training as well as reflection of what happened during the 2019-2020 fire season, particularly the lives lost, firefighters and civilians.

Part of our reflection also takes us to thoughts of HATS and how a simple gesture has made such an enormous difference to a small brigade of volunteers from all walks of life in the Blue Mountains town of Wentworth Falls. For everything you have done for us, we thank you and all of your customers across the globe.

Tim Parsley

If you would like to contribute towards the Hands Across the Sea Samplers’ fundraiser Jane Marshall can be downloaded HERE