Fire expertise flies to USA
From the Summer 2006 edition of Bush Telegraph Magazine.
Forester Mike Pryjma must have thought it was Groundhog Day when he stepped off his flight from the United States in September to be greeted by fierce fire conditions and arson attacks in the Hunter.
Forests NSW Central Region operations manager, Mike had spent the previous six weeks fighting some of the fiercest bushfires the world can produce in the softwood forests of the north-western United States.
Mike and five other Forests NSW firefighters joined the USA battle this year.
The others were Julian Armstrong and Brian Smith from Batemans Bay, Phil Goldberg from Eden, Tim McNaught from Bathurst and Murray Harrison from Coffs Harbour.
Unlike other years, all members of this team were controlling fires in the front-line.
They were in the USA for at least a 35 day deployment.
The Forests NSW team joined others drawn from firefighting agencies in New Zealand, Victoria, ACT, Western Australia and New South Wales.
This is the fourth time since 2000 that the USA, Australia and New Zealand have activated their long-standing partnership in sharing firefighting resources.
The firefighters were assigned to front-line divisional command services, helicopter services and liaison roles.
Primary USA firefighting resources have been stretched by a long and active fire season this year which some have said was the worst in 30 years.
United States fires this season have affected large areas in northern California, Pacific Northwest, Nevada, Idaho and Montana.
Public Affairs & Media, Coffs Harbour
