Second group to join Australian bushfire battle

11 January 2016

Another 22 firefighters fly to Australia today to help combat fires burning in Victoria.

Twenty-three colleagues left on 2 January as fires spread through bush near the coastal town of Lorne, 150 kilometres southwest of Melbourne.

The latest contingent is drawn from fire authorities in Auckland, Rotorua-Whakatane, the West Coast and Invercargill.

They leave from Auckland and Wellington this afternoon.

National Rural Fire Officer Kevin O'Connor said crews already there were making good progress building containment lines around the fires, which were still burning on a 40-kilometre front around Victoria’s southwest coast.

He said the fire danger in the area remained very high.

Both deployments are scheduled to last three weeks, with a possible extension depending on conditions.

Today’s deployment will be the 18th overseas by rural firefighters since 2001 – the 10th to Australia and the 7th to Victoria.

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