NSW: Officers burned on trail that shouldn't have been used

AAP General News (Australia)
08-03-2001
NSW: Officers burned on trail that shouldn't have been used

By Alice Atkins

SYDNEY, Aug 3 AAP - An inquiry into the deaths of four National Parks and Wildlife
(NPWS) officers during a backburn heard today how the operation was marred by last-minute
decisions and poor planning.

Four firefighters died and three others were seriously injured after the backburn in
Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park went wrong on June 8 last year.

The coronial inquiry is examining how the officers died and three others were critically
injured during the hazard-reduction operation intended to protect nearby houses.

The crew were trapped in flames as they conducted backburning along the Wallaby track
in the park, north of Sydney.

Ken Blade, who headed the operation, said the decision to burn along the Wallaby trail
was a last-minute option discussed on the morning of the June 8.

The track was not marked accurately on maps given to NPWS officers and it had not been
checked because there had been no intention of using it as part of the hazard-reduction
burn, he said.

"It wasn't ever my plan to use the track ... if it had been it would have been cleared
and opened up," he told the inquest.

On the morning of the tragedy, however, he told the officer in charge of the crew that
they could use the track after it was checked.

"I said he may wish to check and consider the use of the Wallaby track to burn on ....

if they couldn't burn the creek line," he said.

"We all knew it wasn't part of the plan, but was an option.

He said the officer in charge was an experienced and competent firefighter and he had
the option to walk the track and check it.

Mr Blade denied that it was his duty to make sure the trail was suitable for burning
and was properly marked on maps.

Mr Blade told the inquest that he and other officers had serious misgivings about going
ahead with the burn and wanted it postponed for at least a week.

Only a third of the planning had been completed, a promised helicopter had not been
supplied and weather conditions earlier in the week raised concern, he said.

He denied the planning was grossly inadequate, saying that on the June 8 he was confident
the burn could be carried out safely.

"I thought it would be preferable to put it off ... so it could be better planned ...

and (we) could have the use of a helicopter," he said.

Officers George Fitzsimmons, 52, of Gorokan, Eric Furlan, 51, of Normanhurst, and
Claire Dean, 25, of Forestville, were killed after becoming trapped in the fire.

Mark Cupit, 32, of Ourimbah on the NSW Central Coast suffered horrific burns and died
in hospital almost two months later.

The inquest continues.

AAP aa/jjs/mjm/sb

KEYWORD: BACKBURN

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