Awards for bushfires work

South and Mid-Canterbury firefighters who battled bushfires that devastated parts of New South Wales in 2019-20 have been acknowledged with awards.

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian has granted a Bushfire Emergency Citation for operational service to 12 firefighters from the two areas.

Mid-South Canterbury principal rural fire officer Rob Hands and Fire and Emergency NZ (Fenz) Mid-South Canterbury area commander Steven Greenyer presented the awards at the Timaru fire station yesterday.

Hands said the contingent had worked hard during their deployment.

‘‘They were working 14 to 16 hour days in remote areas; it was not glamorous. They represented our district very well.’’

The bushfires claimed the lives of at least 34 people, destroyed nearly 6000 buildings, burnt approximately 18.6 million hectares and caused billions of dollars of damage.

Graeme Dwyer, of Geraldine, said he had been part of a New Zealand strike team working mainly on fire protection around a small town, Laguna, northwest of Sydney.

‘‘We ended up saving 500 homes.’’

At one stage fires had advanced on a front spanning 60 kilometres towards Laguna, and other small settlements, Wollombi and Bucketty.

Rugged terrain prevented the fires hitting populated areas but Dwyer and other firefighters from Mid and South Canterbury worked with the Laguna Bush Fire Brigade establishing fire breaks around buildings, waiting for the fire to advance to the line or back-burning from the lines towards the oncoming fire.

Dwyer said the fires were huge and devastating, but the people greatly appreciated their presence and help.

‘‘It was really humbling; everyone was thankful we were over there,’’ Dwyer said.

‘‘In the streets they’d shake your hand and when we went into a pub, they shouted drinks.’’

Each firefighter received a silver framed navy-blue bar featuring a red stripe to signify the bushfire event and waratah, the New South Wales state flower.

They were also given a letter from Berejiklian, a certificate cosigned by Berejiklian and Commissioner of Resilience for New South Wales and the state’s former Rural Fire Service commissioner, Shane Fitzsimmons, as well as a commemorative cap.

One of the firefighters, Carrie Lakin, was absent from the ceremony.