A 59-year-old firefighter has died after being struck by a falling tree while battling a blaze in New South Wales, marking what the state's premier described as a 'foreboding beginning' to the bushfire season. The incident occurred on Sunday night in Bulahdelah, on the mid-north coast, as crews attempted to start a back burn.
The man, an experienced field officer who had worked for the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service since 1996, suffered cardiac arrest and died at the scene. He was a division commander based at the Lake Munmorah depot for 25 years. 'Fellow firefighters provided first aid until paramedics arrived,' said Alex Graham, deputy secretary of the NPWS.
NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Trent Curtin said the firefighter was checking on colleagues when the tree fell. 'His efforts on the fire ground to make sure that our firefighters were safe are just a testament to the work that he performed.' The tree was likely damaged by fire, but it is unclear if it was from the main blaze or the back burn.
As of Monday, 52 fires were burning across NSW, with nine uncontained. More than 500 firefighters and 160 vehicles were deployed. The fire at Bulahdelah has scorched about 3,500 hectares, while a large uncontrolled fire at Milsons Gully in the Upper Hunter has burned 11,000 hectares. On Sunday, 16 houses were destroyed in Koolewong, with nine damaged and seven outbuildings lost.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said the death was 'a deeply distressing turn of events' and a reminder of the dangers firefighters face. Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib added, 'This particular person has made the ultimate sacrifice.' Federal and state disaster assistance funding has been activated for affected areas.
