'Most devastating' fires ever seen
Published Date: 09 Jan 2015
Summary
Eschol Brigade Captain Brett McCarthy will take a well-earned rest after a stint as a strike team leader in South Australia, assisting with the Sampson Flat fires.
A western strike team consisting of 27 personnel from Dubbo, Mudgee, Condobolin, Parkes, Young and Weddin took five tankers across to SA.
View the Prime 7 News story.
Spending time in the One Tree Hill, Paracombe and Cudlee Creek Captain McCarthy said even though it wasn't the most devastating fire he'd seen it was still tragic.
Brett McCarthy returned to Dubbo yesterday after five days assisting with the Sampson Flat fire. Photo: CONTRIBUTED
"I had to work in areas where properties had been destroyed, which is always tragic," he said.
"(Because of heavy terrain) It was difficult to get places, you spend a fair bit of time trying to get to places."
Captain McCarthy said he spent a lot of time in fire containment, but the long hours were definitely worth it.
"The fire travels quicker coming up gullies, so it was difficult at times," he said.
"But we did manage to save a house.
"We'd love to save everyone's house, but you just can't sometimes depending on the well being of the firefighters."
The Eschol Captain said he was more than happy to help out the South Australians in their time of crisis.
"As a volunteer firefighter you want to help out the community, it doesn't matter what community that is," he said.
"If we had an issue they would come over and help us and they have before."
Local hospitality made the 5am to 12am requirements worthwhile, Captain McCarthy said.
"It was humbling the way the locals responded to us," he said.
"They had signs, they were waving, there were people offering us mountains of food."
Up to 38 homes and 125 other buildings are estimated to have been lost in the fires, much needed rain should make life easier for firefighter, but the danger is not over, Captain McCarthy said.
"Infrastructure still needs to be done- the danger is not just in the fire, but trees going down, which can also be dangerous.
"That's the part that's hard for people to understand- they just want to go back to their homes and can't because it's still dangerous."
