Australia fires: The thousands of volunteers fighting the flames

"When that photo was taken of me, I had done a 15-hour shift out there."

He is one of thousands of Australians who've dropped their ordinary lives to battle the nation's raging fire crisis.

For weeks, the 22-year-old landscaper has lived around his phone, springing into action when called upon.

He is part of the New South Wales Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) which calls itself "the world's largest volunteer firefighting organisation". Its 70,000 members are extensively trained and, except for a few senior staff, mostly unpaid.

Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-50887982

Firefighter Daniel Knox stands amid flaming bushland during a controlled burn in NSW

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Lawyer Ben Aulich and accountant Michael Papandrea lose bid to challenge undercover police operation

10 Best Places To Donate Old Things When Moving House

It may no longer be enough to protect species like Australia's marsupials from predators – we may have to assist in their evolution if they are to survive the 21st Century.