1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,240 Speaker 1: Now joining me in the studio is the Assistant Chief 2 00:00:02,320 --> 00:00:04,640 Speaker 1: Fire Officer, Joshua Fisher. Good morning to you. 3 00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:05,440 Speaker 2: Good morning Katie. 4 00:00:05,519 --> 00:00:07,840 Speaker 1: Now before we get into territory day, I know that 5 00:00:07,880 --> 00:00:10,960 Speaker 1: it's been a terrible weekend actually on our roads. Our 6 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:14,400 Speaker 1: fires have obviously had to attend a couple of horrible 7 00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:15,560 Speaker 1: incidents that have occurred. 8 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:19,360 Speaker 3: Yeah, definitely been a really troubling time on our roads. 9 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:23,680 Speaker 3: Since Friday through to this morning. Our firefighters have been 10 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:28,560 Speaker 3: responded to a number of road crashes and unfortunately. 11 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:29,920 Speaker 2: A couple of those have resulted in fatality. 12 00:00:30,040 --> 00:00:32,760 Speaker 3: So certainly I thought to go out to the family 13 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:36,080 Speaker 3: members affected, but also all first responders that had to 14 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 3: deal with those incidents. 15 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:39,640 Speaker 1: And I know that mindus cent is that the police 16 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:42,120 Speaker 1: are still out at that crash from overnight. But can 17 00:00:42,159 --> 00:00:44,920 Speaker 1: you just verify for us, josh, So it was the 18 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:48,320 Speaker 1: Stuart Highway between Manton Dam and Marachai turn off, Is 19 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:48,760 Speaker 1: that right? 20 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:51,880 Speaker 3: So the location is near the Mountain Damn turn off, 21 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:56,800 Speaker 3: more closer towards Darwin. So it's in that stretch of 22 00:00:56,880 --> 00:01:01,080 Speaker 3: road near the rest stop and the Mendam turn off. 23 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 1: All right, we'll certainly have some more detail on that situation. 24 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 1: As well throughout the morning. But we know that firefighting 25 00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 1: crews were indeed kept very busy over the weekend while 26 00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:14,360 Speaker 1: responding to a large number of incidents across the territory 27 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:18,840 Speaker 1: on Friday night for Territory Day, Josh, how many fires 28 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:21,080 Speaker 1: were your firefighters called out too? 29 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:24,640 Speaker 3: So sort of the twenty four hour period from one 30 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:26,760 Speaker 3: July through to the second of July, one hundred and 31 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:30,120 Speaker 3: nineteen grass fires our crews responded to, so about a 32 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:34,240 Speaker 3: third on last year, so certainly a pretty large reduction 33 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:37,680 Speaker 3: in what we experienced in August last year. But our 34 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:39,880 Speaker 3: crews were also kept busy with a number of sort 35 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:43,920 Speaker 3: of business as usual responses, so those road accidents as 36 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 3: well as six structure fires that were reported in that 37 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:51,280 Speaker 3: period as well. So our duty crews supported by our volunteers, 38 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 3: did an enormous amount of work, particularly in that six 39 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 3: hour window whilst everyone was enjoying what it means to 40 00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:00,320 Speaker 3: be a territory. And so we had about undred and 41 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 3: ninety three members on deck between bushfires in t and 42 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 3: the NT Fire and Rescue Service on the night of 43 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 3: that about one hundred and twenty four were volunteers, so 44 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:12,480 Speaker 3: a huge shout out to them. 45 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:14,519 Speaker 2: In supporting their communities. 46 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:16,359 Speaker 1: Why so many volunteers this year. 47 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:20,720 Speaker 3: Look, generally speaking, we do have a large proportion of volunteers. 48 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 3: So we have twenty six locations that NTFIS is located 49 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 3: at and a large proportion of them are serviced by volunteers. 50 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:33,320 Speaker 3: But given that Territory Day this year fell on a Friday, 51 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 3: a lot more volunteers are available because it's not a 52 00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:38,200 Speaker 3: work week. They don't have work the next day for 53 00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:42,560 Speaker 3: a majority of them, so they were more available this 54 00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:43,040 Speaker 3: time around. 55 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:46,359 Speaker 1: Now, just talk us through some of those major incidents 56 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:49,440 Speaker 1: that you did attend, because I know with those structure fires, 57 00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:52,240 Speaker 1: one of them I believe was on Smith Street. Was 58 00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:54,200 Speaker 1: it on the seventh floor of an apartment building? 59 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:54,720 Speaker 2: Yeah? 60 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 3: Correct, So at around I think it was ten thirty 61 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:01,760 Speaker 3: eleven o'clock on Friday evening, we received reports of a 62 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:05,000 Speaker 3: glow emanating from the roof of a high rise building. 63 00:03:05,639 --> 00:03:09,240 Speaker 3: Firefighters responded and were able to gain entry to a 64 00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:15,360 Speaker 3: seventh story high rise where a plastic rubbishpin two hundred 65 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:18,239 Speaker 3: ter plastic rubbish bin was found, a light that had 66 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 3: spent fireworks stored within so that had burnt out onto 67 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 3: a rooftop sort of balcony of the top floor apartment. 68 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:29,120 Speaker 3: Thankfully though there was no major damage, but it serves 69 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:32,880 Speaker 3: as a reminder that we're only moments away potentially from 70 00:03:32,919 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 3: a really catastrophic incident, you know, on a high rise building. 71 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:38,040 Speaker 1: Goodness may how bad could that have become? 72 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:40,200 Speaker 2: Look, it could have been quite significant. 73 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 3: You know, our resources were stretched in terms of responding 74 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:47,040 Speaker 3: to the sheer number of wildfire calls, then responding to 75 00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:49,280 Speaker 3: an urban fire, which would then draw a lot of 76 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:52,600 Speaker 3: those resources just to combat that one incident. So it 77 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 3: could have had significant consequences if that fire had have 78 00:03:56,160 --> 00:03:57,520 Speaker 3: spread and caught the building a light. 79 00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:00,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, right, And were there other quite significant fires as 80 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:01,920 Speaker 1: well on Territory. 81 00:04:01,640 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 3: Night, Yeah, we had a reporting karma of a veranda 82 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:08,120 Speaker 3: on fire, so again a firework that had shot into 83 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:13,400 Speaker 3: a residential home. A person that was president at the 84 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:16,840 Speaker 3: premise was treated for smoking elation. Thankfully, fire fighters were 85 00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:19,120 Speaker 3: there quickly and there was minimal damage as a result 86 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 3: of that. And then we had some pretty significant grass 87 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:24,920 Speaker 3: fires as well, so Lee Point as well as. 88 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:28,760 Speaker 2: Another one at Ludmiller. 89 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 3: And then the following days, so our crews have been 90 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:35,279 Speaker 3: busy from Saturday and Sunday through into last night. 91 00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 2: With this year number of wildfires around Palmerston. 92 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:38,840 Speaker 1: What people still letting them off? 93 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:42,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, anecdotally, that's information receiving a lot of these fires 94 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:47,160 Speaker 3: as a result of fireworks or leftovers from recognitions from 95 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:47,760 Speaker 3: Friday night. 96 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:51,040 Speaker 1: Yeah. Hey, you said that the number of fires that 97 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 1: you attended were down compared to to last year. Is 98 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:56,840 Speaker 1: that because it was held a little bit earlier in 99 00:04:56,880 --> 00:04:59,640 Speaker 1: the dry season comparatively to last year where we'd had 100 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 1: really quite a dry dry season. 101 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:04,160 Speaker 2: I think it can a lot of it can come 102 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:04,840 Speaker 2: down to the weather. 103 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:08,880 Speaker 3: We obviously had really real cool temperatures, but also we 104 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:11,919 Speaker 3: had that light rainfall in the day's proceeding and on 105 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:14,719 Speaker 3: the day in some areas. You know, Catherine received a 106 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:18,320 Speaker 3: significant amount of rainfall on the day, So I think, 107 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:20,960 Speaker 3: you know, judging by the weather, you know, the humidity 108 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:24,320 Speaker 3: was up. There was real cool conditions, so fires weren't 109 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:26,880 Speaker 3: able to take hold as quickly and spread. But we 110 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:28,960 Speaker 3: did have some of those high winds so you know, 111 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:31,480 Speaker 3: where there was some good fuel, fires did spread and 112 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:33,479 Speaker 3: like they're at lead points in the like, you know, 113 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:36,480 Speaker 3: we had to undertake some backburning operations to contain those. 114 00:05:36,640 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 1: Now we're Territorians pretty well behaved for the most part, 115 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:41,680 Speaker 1: or did you have a situation where some people were 116 00:05:41,680 --> 00:05:42,800 Speaker 1: behaving badly. 117 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:46,440 Speaker 3: Look, unfortunately, our firefighters did encounter a number of people 118 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 3: acting irresponsibly and reports of fireworks being led off in 119 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:53,120 Speaker 3: the direction of responding fire cruise as they're rocking up 120 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:58,359 Speaker 3: to incidents, as well as reports of cruise responding to 121 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:02,880 Speaker 3: rubbish spins that were alight and as firefighters arrived, members 122 00:06:02,880 --> 00:06:07,159 Speaker 3: of the public throwing unspent fireworks into those rubbishpins and 123 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:13,599 Speaker 3: then obviously more ignitions and things occurring. So yeah, that 124 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:16,440 Speaker 3: is a little bit disappointing. But also we have got 125 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:20,760 Speaker 3: reports of fireworks being let off on rooftop balconies of 126 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:24,960 Speaker 3: high rises. You certainly that structure fire in Smith Street 127 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:27,120 Speaker 3: that was because people were letting off fireworks on top 128 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:30,640 Speaker 3: of that building. Those actually really really dangerous and thankfully 129 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:34,039 Speaker 3: there was no major structure damage, but it could only 130 00:06:34,040 --> 00:06:34,760 Speaker 3: be a second way. 131 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:36,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, by the sounds of it, there was a few 132 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:37,760 Speaker 1: people behaving stupidly. 133 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:40,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's certainly what our members encountered. 134 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:42,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, which is just you know, you think to yourself, well, 135 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:45,280 Speaker 1: I think of the danger then that our firefighters and 136 00:06:45,279 --> 00:06:47,400 Speaker 1: our volunteers are put into and you go, that's just 137 00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:50,720 Speaker 1: not acceptable for people to be throwing fireworks in their 138 00:06:50,760 --> 00:06:52,479 Speaker 1: direction and that kind of thing. You don't go to 139 00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:54,960 Speaker 1: work to put up with that kind of stuff, correct. 140 00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:57,000 Speaker 3: You know, we want people to enjoy Territory Day and 141 00:06:57,480 --> 00:07:00,440 Speaker 3: enjoy what it means and have funding safely letting off works. 142 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:02,839 Speaker 3: But you know, we ask people to do it safely 143 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:05,560 Speaker 3: and certainly don't put our people in harms way, Josh. 144 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:07,719 Speaker 1: Before I let you go, if people are out there 145 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:10,560 Speaker 1: listening this morning and they've maybe still got fireworks left 146 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:12,400 Speaker 1: over and they're not sure what to do with them, 147 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 1: what do they need to do? 148 00:07:14,080 --> 00:07:16,560 Speaker 3: So members of the public that do have unspent fireworks, 149 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 3: they must return them to NT work safe by mid 150 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:23,120 Speaker 3: day today. Alternatively, they can make arrangements to drop them 151 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:26,200 Speaker 3: off at a police front counter. So from midday today 152 00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:29,880 Speaker 3: it is then illegal to possess any unspent fireworks, so 153 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:33,200 Speaker 3: we encourage the community to return them if they do 154 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:34,160 Speaker 3: have any remaining. 155 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:37,680 Speaker 1: Now, I know that there has been people messaging through 156 00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:40,760 Speaker 1: as we've been chatting saying that they've heard crackers going 157 00:07:40,800 --> 00:07:44,720 Speaker 1: off after Territory Day, you know, but they've reported it 158 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:46,320 Speaker 1: to the police, and the police have said they can't 159 00:07:46,320 --> 00:07:48,400 Speaker 1: come out there unless they know exactly where it's happening. 160 00:07:48,680 --> 00:07:51,720 Speaker 1: But should people still be reporting that, you know, they 161 00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:54,880 Speaker 1: if they see or hear somebody letting off fireworks, should 162 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:55,960 Speaker 1: they still be reporting us? 163 00:07:56,640 --> 00:07:58,960 Speaker 3: Most certainly they should be so that any information that 164 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:01,880 Speaker 3: we might be able to and we can follow up with, 165 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:04,240 Speaker 3: we will. You know, we had a large number of 166 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:07,360 Speaker 3: fires occurring over the weekend. It's likely as a result 167 00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:11,320 Speaker 3: of fireworks. This week, we are still going to see 168 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 3: some cool temperatures, but you know, from next weekend we're 169 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:17,360 Speaker 3: likely to see that dry air return, temperatures warm up 170 00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:19,600 Speaker 3: a little bit. You know, in the rural area, there's 171 00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:22,080 Speaker 3: been a number of wildfires that have occurred yesterday that 172 00:08:22,120 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 3: went to Watch an Act level. So that risk is 173 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:27,160 Speaker 3: still there, and anyone letting our fireworks outside of the 174 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:30,200 Speaker 3: approved period is not only putting themselves at risk of 175 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:31,760 Speaker 3: their community and our firefighters. 176 00:08:31,880 --> 00:08:33,840 Speaker 1: Now with those strong winds that we've got in place 177 00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:36,280 Speaker 1: at the moment, is it still a concern when it 178 00:08:36,280 --> 00:08:39,840 Speaker 1: comes to fires, whether these fireworks or not. Is it 179 00:08:39,880 --> 00:08:41,320 Speaker 1: still a bit of a warrior at the moment. How's 180 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:42,360 Speaker 1: the fire danger. 181 00:08:42,080 --> 00:08:44,719 Speaker 3: Looking look, the fight anger is sitting at high at 182 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:47,079 Speaker 3: this point in time, but we will get those strong 183 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:50,080 Speaker 3: wind guss in some localized areas, so you fires are 184 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:53,560 Speaker 3: occurring in those areas, they still will move quickly. We 185 00:08:53,600 --> 00:08:57,400 Speaker 3: won't see necessarily dangerous fire conditions, but it will make 186 00:08:57,400 --> 00:08:59,880 Speaker 3: it a little bit challenging, particularly if it's around residential 187 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:02,439 Speaker 3: homes and alike in adjacent to bushland. 188 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:04,559 Speaker 2: So we just want people to be mindful. 189 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:07,040 Speaker 3: It is the dry season, we are in the fire season, 190 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:10,240 Speaker 3: and we are likely to see those fire weather events 191 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:11,600 Speaker 3: regularly occur soon. 192 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:14,640 Speaker 1: Well, we really appreciate your time this morning, Assistant Chief 193 00:09:14,720 --> 00:09:17,520 Speaker 1: Fire Officer Joshua Fisher, and a big thanks to our 194 00:09:17,559 --> 00:09:20,960 Speaker 1: firefighters and indeed all of those volunteers who have worked 195 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:23,839 Speaker 1: tirelessly over the course of the weekend. Thanks for having 196 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:24,920 Speaker 1: a chat with us this morning. 197 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:26,320 Speaker 2: Thanks very much. Thank you.