Fed: Koperberg says fires could not have been stopped

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Fed: Koperberg says fires could not have been stopped

By Peter Jean

CANBERRA, Aug 5 AAP - NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Phil Koperberg today rejectedclaims his service could have prevented January's devastating Canberra firestorm.

Former commonwealth ombudsman Ron McLeod this week released a report into the January18 fires which killed four people and destroyed more than 500 homes in the national capital.

The report found the fires might have been prevented from reaching Canberra if theyhad been fought aggressively as soon as they started.

ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope has said Mr Koperberg had to take responsibility fora NSW fire entering the ACT, where it joined up with another fire, igniting the firestorm.

However, Mr Koperberg said the fires could not have been stopped.

"We believe our strategy by-and-large worked and would have worked if it had not beenfor the weather on January 17," he told reporters.

"So whilst we understand why Mr McLeod came to that conclusion we don't necessarily agree."

Mr Koperberg said it had been too dangerous to send firefighters to fight the NSW fireat McIntyre's Hut, which eventually became the fire that engulfed suburban Canberra.

"The majority of the lightning strikes were remote and in very mountainous terrainand without ready access we took a decision on January 8, determining that putting firefightersthere would be too dangerous," Mr Koperberg said.

Mr Stanhope said today he was not seeking to blame Mr Koperberg for the fires reaching Canberra.

He praised the work done by NSW firefighters to protect Canberra from the bushfires.

"I was actually drawing parallels (between the NSW and ACT fire services), not pointingthe finger or seeking to sheet home any blame at all," Mr Stanhope told Sky News.

"I have enormous respect, admiration for Mr Koperberg and the service he heads."

NSW National Party leader Andrew Stoner accused the NSW government of trying to avoidblame for the tragedy.

Mr Stoner said the McLeod report identified high fuel loads as a factor contributingto the severity of the fires.

"NSW national parks' record on hazard reduction has been appalling," Mr Stoner said.

"From almost 50,000 hectares of hazard reduction in national parks in 1993/94, thefigure had slipped to under 7,000 hectares in 1999/2000."

Territories Minister Wilson Tuckey said the NSW agency had failed to reduce fuel loadsand should compensate the people of the ACT for the fires.

"I have always supported the view that Stanhope should have sought compensation fromthe NSW Parks and Wildlife Service, from day one," Mr Tuckey told AAP.

He said many Canberrans had suffered in the fires.

"These people have suffered dreadfully and well beyond the financial position, becausethere was no duty of care conducted in NSW national parks," Mr Tuckey said.

AAP pj/sw/was/br

KEYWORD: BUSHFIRES ACT NIGHTLEAD