Disaster assistance for beleaguered Fraser Island firefighters

Disaster assistance has been made available to reimburse firefighting costs on Queensland’s Fraser Island as operations continue to manage ongoing bushfires.

The
bushfires started in mid-November and have now burnt about 80,000 hectares of
the island.

Nearly 100 firefighting personnel, supported by heavy machinery, dozens of fire trucks and multiple firefighting aircraft, are battling the blazes.

The assistance,
which is being provided through the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster
Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) will ensure the reimbursement of
extraordinary costs associated with firefighting operations to protect public health
and safety.

Queensland
Minister for Fire and Emergency Services Mark Ryan said: “This is a challenging
blaze, in difficult terrain, not helped by the hot and dry conditions currently
sweeping the state.

“But the community can rest assured that the professional leadership of Queensland Fire and Emergency Services and the dedication of the firefighters on the ground will be unrelenting.”

Information on disaster assistance can be found on the Federal Government’s Disaster Assist website and the Queensland Government’s Disaster Management website.