Meet the California Firefighters Helping Australia Battle Epic Bush Fires
By News
Published 4 years ago on
January 22, 2020
Share
[aggregation-styles]
Los Angeles Times Subscription
OVENS, Australia — It was a rare victory for the seasoned Americans battling flames Down Under.
Beneath a green eucalyptus canopy in the country’s Australian Alps, the continent’s tallest mountain range dividing New South Wales and Victoria, some of America’s most versatile firefighters, mostly from Southern California, are laboring to help the Australians gain the upper hand against their worst fire season ever.
The work, up until Saturday afternoon, had not always been fruitful for these two dozen firefighters, nearly all of them from the Angeles National Forest. Weekly lightning storms have sparked new fires beyond their defensive positions, and even some older fires have spread so quickly they have outrun crews finishing containment lines.
But that afternoon, word crackled over the radio that a containment line they’d dug days before had held up, stopping another blaze’s progress. It was their first success since arriving in Australia on Jan. 8.
Read More →
Los Angeles Times Subscription
OVENS, Australia — It was a rare victory for the seasoned Americans battling flames Down Under.
Beneath a green eucalyptus canopy in the country’s Australian Alps, the continent’s tallest mountain range dividing New South Wales and Victoria, some of America’s most versatile firefighters, mostly from Southern California, are laboring to help the Australians gain the upper hand against their worst fire season ever.
The work, up until Saturday afternoon, had not always been fruitful for these two dozen firefighters, nearly all of them from the Angeles National Forest. Weekly lightning storms have sparked new fires beyond their defensive positions, and even some older fires have spread so quickly they have outrun crews finishing containment lines.
But that afternoon, word crackled over the radio that a containment line they’d dug days before had held up, stopping another blaze’s progress. It was their first success since arriving in Australia on Jan. 8.
Read More →
By Joseph Serna | 21 Jan 2020
[activecampaign form=29]RELATED TOPICS:
No data was found
Trump Criticizes Judge and His Daughter After Gag Order in Hush-Money Case
News /
13 hours ago
CA Insurance Market ‘in Chaos,’ Says Former Insurance Commissioner. Can Lara Fix It?
Economy /
13 hours ago
Stock Market Today: S&P 500 Sets a Record After Wall Streets Breaks Out of Its Lull
Economy /
13 hours ago
House Speaker Mike Johnson Headed to Fresno on April 4
Politics /
14 hours ago
Bredefeld, Smittcamp Debate the Salary of Valley Children’s CEO
Politics /
14 hours ago
CA’s Liberal Government Has a Long History of Caving to Special Interests
Opinion /
14 hours ago
Police Had About 90 Seconds to Stop Traffic Before Baltimore Bridge Fell. 6 Workers Are Feared Dead
News /
16 hours ago
NBC Has Cut Ties With Former RNC Head Ronna McDaniel After Employee Objections, Some on the Air
Politics /
16 hours ago
Here Are Some Numbers That Will Help You Get Your March Madness Fix for the Sweet 16
Latest /
16 hours ago
Ukrainian Navy Says a Third of Russian Warships in the Black Sea Have Been Destroyed or Disabled
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine has sunk or disabled a third of all Russian warships in the Black Sea in just over two years of war, the navy spokes...
World /
7 hours ago
Categories
Latest
Videos
World /
7 hours ago
Ukrainian Navy Says a Third of Russian Warships in the Black Sea Have Been Destroyed or Disabled
Business /
11 hours ago
Wired Wednesday: How Going to Work for Trump Turned Devin Nunes Into a Millionaire
Latest /
12 hours ago
Former Sen. Joe Lieberman, Democrats’ VP Pick in 2000, Dead at 82
News /
13 hours ago
Trump Criticizes Judge and His Daughter After Gag Order in Hush-Money Case
Economy /
13 hours ago
CA Insurance Market ‘in Chaos,’ Says Former Insurance Commissioner. Can Lara Fix It?
Economy /
13 hours ago
Stock Market Today: S&P 500 Sets a Record After Wall Streets Breaks Out of Its Lull
Politics /
14 hours ago
House Speaker Mike Johnson Headed to Fresno on April 4
Politics /
14 hours ago
Bredefeld, Smittcamp Debate the Salary of Valley Children’s CEO
Business /
11 hours ago
Wired Wednesday: How Going to Work for Trump Turned Devin Nunes Into a Millionaire
Video /
1 week ago
News Minute: Snell’s $62M Giants Contract, Boomtown Clovis, Banksy’s Latest Mural
Latest /
1 week ago