Australian PM in pledge to volunteer firefighters as wildfire battle continues
Authorities have warned that the fires in New South Wales could fester for months, causing more angst for exhausted firefighters.
Australia’s beleaguered prime minister has announced that volunteer firefighters from the federal public sector will receive paid leave entitlements in a move to help contain wildfires that have ravaged parts of the country.
About five million hectares (12.35 million acres) of land have burned nationwide over the past few months, with nine people killed and more than 950 homes destroyed.
New South Wales, the country’s most populous state, has received the brunt of the damage, with around 850 homes razed in the state.
Authorities have warned that the fires in New South Wales could fester for months, causing more angst for exhausted firefighters.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison, however, said that federal public servants who volunteer with state rural fire services to battle the blazes will get 20 days of paid leave on top of their regular annual and sick leave.
“With bushfire seasons starting earlier, one of the things I’ve heard on the ground is that some people are dipping into their other leave entitlements to stay out there battling blazes,” Mr Morrison told reporters in South Australia, which last week had 86 homes destroyed after wildfires flared in catastrophic conditions.
“Today’s announcement is about ensuring our volunteer firefighters can keep focused on the job at hand,” the prime minister said.
Mr Morrison, who has been under pressure since taking a much-criticised family holiday to Hawaii during the wildfire crisis, urged the private sector to implement similar measures.
Cooler temperatures on Tuesday in New South Wales provided temporary relief, but authorities warned that conditions could deteriorate this weekend due to warmer and windier weather.
Fire danger ratings remained very high in parts of southern New South Wales, and were between high and moderate for the rest of the state.
Mr Morrison on Tuesday toured an area in South Australia state where up to 200 volunteer firefighters continued battling a 25,000-hectare blaze.
“Today may be Christmas Eve, but for so many firefighters it is going to be another day out there protecting their communities. And I thank them for their service,” Mr Morrison said.
In the suspected scam, victims received phone calls from people claiming to be from their bank and offering to provide disaster relief funds before asking for bank details.
