Two Australian firefighters deployed to tackle blazes in America’s Washington State last month were forced to take cover from trigger-happy hunters, because apocalyptic infernos just aren’t dangerous enough on their own.
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Fairfax Media reports the men, two of eighty Aussie firies embedded with the US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management during America’s disastrous fire season, were doing their job in the White Pass ski region on August 23 when they were set upon by armed locals.
Washington-based reporter Donald Meyers today told 3AW the hunters were chasing a wounded bear which, very unfortunately, hiked into the exact same area occupied by the firies and their two American counterparts.
Meyers said the hunters were “firing in the direction of the bear”, which was also in the direction of the firies. The armed men reportedly chased the group over a ridge, in violation of formal closure order advising people to stay the hell away from the region.
One of the local officers reportedly left a ‘last’ voice message for his family during the incident, which saw the group take cover until they could be extracted from the region.
Thankfully, local law enforcement agencies located the gun-toting folks, and they’ve been charged with breaching that closure order. Fairfax Media reports that other charges are forthcoming.
The incident also prompted the Australian contingent to ask the local fire crews for improved security on the ground.
The two Australians involved are understood to be from the NSW Rural Fire Service and Fire & Rescue NSW, respectively; in statements obtained by News Corp, both organisations said they were satisfied the matter was adequately handled by US authorities.
All of the Aussies sent over for the American fire season have safely returned home. No word on that poor bear, though. Or how the hunters could make such a massive miscalculation.
