The specialist-trained Remote Area Firefighting Team members (RAFT) were selected for their knowledge and skills dealing with fires in remote and inaccessible locations.

All the firefighters have been tested on their physical fitness to deal with a job that will see them walk into dense and remote areas to hand cut containment lines, carrying chainsaws and other equipment for the job.

Nicole Cooper, of the Merimbula Rural Fire Service (RFS) is not only a RAFT member but has the capability to go down a wire from a helicopter and extract any firefighters in danger.

Ms Cooper said the Bega crew, who left Merimbula on a charter flight for Tasmania, would be fully deployed near Strathgordon.

They were expecting to start work on Monday morning near Cradle Mountain and Mole Creek.

The local crews are likely to be split into two, but expect to remain together with the help of local firefighters.

“This is one of the biggest deployments out of NSW,” Ms Cooper said.

There were 60 RAFT members from NSW, 20 from the ACT, 20 from NPWS, eight charter flights, 33 vehicles, four remote area firefighting trailers and 16 remote area firefighting kits dispatched.

Two Bass Strait barges were used to transport the vehicles plus two helicopters were sent.

In addition to Ms Cooper, the Bega crew includes Jim Eberbach (Wolumla), Grant Stevenson (Merimbula), Patrick Waddell (Bermagui), Peter Reynolds and Steve Irving (Pambula), Jason Snell (Narooma), Mike Weik (Quaama) and Dave Philps (Brogo).

Mr Philps is a fire behaviour specialist and his expertise will help determine what the fire is likely to do.

“We will be looking at what the fire is doing and trying to predict what will happen, using our own knowledge and computer models,” Mr Philps said. 

“We will also be looking at the safety of those on the ground.”

On Sunday the crew left Merimbula Airport before starting work on Monday morning to assist the stretched firefighting resources on the island state.