The Tullah sports ground in western Tasmania now hosts a bustling “mini city on wheels,” but this is no typical campsite. It’s the New South Wales Rural Fire Service (RFS) base camp, set up to support the response to the devastating bushfires currently sweeping through the region. These fires have already destroyed tens of thousands of hectares of bushland, fueled by intense heat and strong winds.
Tasmanian authorities reached out for assistance from neighboring states, and the RFS promptly responded, sending eight semi-trailers packed with equipment to the site in north-west Tasmania on Wednesday.
The camp is a fully equipped, high-spec facility, with over a dozen large “military-grade” tents fitted with air conditioning. These are situated next to a mess tent, which is supported by a mobile kitchen that serves meals for the crews.
RFS Chief Superintendent Heath Stimson explained that the camp is designed to be self-sufficient and can house up to 150 firefighters comfortably for an extended period. He emphasized that the tents are built to endure harsh conditions, having been deployed across Australia during past natural disasters. Made from materials similar to firefighting gear, the tents are “ember-proof” and “self-extinguishing,” ensuring protection even in the event of a fire outbreak in the area.
Firefighters from across Tasmania’s state agencies, including the Tasmania Fire Service, the Parks and Wildlife Service, and Sustainable Timbers Tasmania, as well as crews from other states, will be using the base camp during the firefighting operations.
Behind the scenes, the RFS’s mitigation team has been responsible for constructing the camp. Member Madalyn Rogan shared that while the camp beds might not be as luxurious as those at home, they offer enough comfort after long days of hard work. Fellow crew member Lochlan Boudan, who is on his first deployment outside of New South Wales, added that while the beds were simple, they provided sufficient rest after 12-hour shifts.
A key part of the camp’s operations is its commercial kitchen, run by private caterer Craig Freudenstein from Port Macquarie, New South Wales. He described the meals as “good pub food”—hearty, home-style dishes that would make a mother proud. Freudenstein ensured that local produce was sourced, including fresh fruits and vegetables from Burnie, Tasmania, which were brought in daily to fuel the firefighters.
Although the mood at the base camp was positive on Friday afternoon, the situation on the ground remained challenging. At that time, the crews had not yet arrived, and the fire conditions were worsening. Tasmania Fire Service state commander Jeremy Smith noted that 20,000 hectares had been scorched in the previous 24 hours, and the fires were still out of control. He warned that the effort to contain them would be “a long, hard slog.”
Chief Superintendent Stimson assured that the camp, built to be durable and resilient, is ready to play a crucial role in supporting the ongoing firefighting efforts, whatever it takes to protect Tasmania’s West Coast.