Nola Marino (Forrest, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I acknowledge and thank the thousands of volunteer firefighters who faced some of Western Australia's biggest challenges fighting the enormous and complex fires that threatened Northcliffe and Boddington, as well as a number of other potentially serious fires throughout the South West this last summer. The Northcliffe fire burnt 98,000 hectares—the biggest bushfire in the South West since the Dwellingup fires of 1961—and Boddington 52,000 hectares. South West volunteer and career firefighters worked more than 96,000 hours to contain and control these fires. Firefighters attended from all around my electorate. In this speech, I want to specifically acknowledge the brigades from the Capel Shire who worked on the fires: the Boyanup, Capel, Elgin, Gelorup and Stirling brigades—all volunteers, Madam Speaker. They are a key part of the 4,934 local bushfire service volunteers across the South West, along with the 294 SES volunteers, 570 volunteer fire and rescue personnel and 29 specific volunteer fire personnel. We cannot survive without these people.

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