International efforts to combat the Willamette Complex South Fire

LANE COUNTY, Ore. — Firefighters from Australia and New Zealand have joined crews across the country to battle the Willamette Complex South fire, which has spread across 12,000 acres.

Due to limited resources in the United States, eleven people from Australia and New Zealand landed in Eugene last weekend to fill specialty positions in the fire department.

Joshua Torrens, Australian Area Representative, says: “All of our staff who come here are middle fire management, so we are here in safety and front line field supervision roles.”

Torrens says diversity within fire crews leads to solid partnerships and continuous learning opportunities.

A total of 71 firefighters from Down Under are fighting the fires across Oregon.

“There are always differences and changes and things we can learn from each other. And that makes this lovely fire service community even closer together through cooperation and exchange,” says Torrens.

Spokesperson Brenda Ahlberg says, “Even though we have people from all over the country, we can pass on knowledge. Even something as simple as a tool they use – maybe the way they hold it can inspire a change in someone else.”

In addition to personnel from Australia and New Zealand, firefighters and crews arrived from 16 states, including California and Idaho, where they all trained and rested between meals at the fire camp near Hills Creek Lake.

The Alaska Complex Incident Management team says fire camps are typically self-sufficient, almost like makeshift cities.

We don't want to impact our communities. We want to be there for them and meet the fire safety goals set and approved by the management team and the authorities.

Nearly 800 emergency personnel are working to bring the south fire in the Willamette area, consisting of seven lightning fires, under control.

The largest fire is the Coffeepot fire, which presents firefighters with extremely steep terrain and the increasing challenge of fallen trees.

Crews have made significant progress in securing the southern boundary of the Coffeepot Fire while strengthening containment lines for the remainder of the complex fire.

A Willamette Complex South Fire community meeting will be held on Friday, August 16, at the Banner Bank Amphitheater at Green Waters Park in Oakridge.