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| Australia’s Volunteer Firefighters Find It Hard to Pause, Even for Christmas | Australia’s Volunteer Firefighters Find It Hard to Pause, Even for Christmas |
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| SYDNEY, Australia — Lucy Baranowski, a volunteer firefighter, has taken time off work over the past three weeks to battle one of the biggest blazes ever recorded in Australia. The smoke has given her a cough. She and her husband, also a firefighter, are tired to the bone. | SYDNEY, Australia — Lucy Baranowski, a volunteer firefighter, has taken time off work over the past three weeks to battle one of the biggest blazes ever recorded in Australia. The smoke has given her a cough. She and her husband, also a firefighter, are tired to the bone. |
| Friends had to step in to ensure that Santa would visit her four children. | Friends had to step in to ensure that Santa would visit her four children. |
| “We hadn’t had time to do Christmas shopping or Santa photos,” she said. “It’s like running a marathon for however many weeks straight.” | “We hadn’t had time to do Christmas shopping or Santa photos,” she said. “It’s like running a marathon for however many weeks straight.” |
| One of the worst early fire seasons in Australia’s history has so far left 10 people dead, destroyed nearly 1,000 properties and consumed millions of acres. To confront the danger and protect communities, the country has relied on its overwhelmingly volunteer firefighting force. | One of the worst early fire seasons in Australia’s history has so far left 10 people dead, destroyed nearly 1,000 properties and consumed millions of acres. To confront the danger and protect communities, the country has relied on its overwhelmingly volunteer firefighting force. |
| The volunteers, some of whom have been working more than 12-hour shifts as they drain annual leave from their jobs, say they are getting by through a combination of adrenaline and a sense of duty to their neighbors. | The volunteers, some of whom have been working more than 12-hour shifts as they drain annual leave from their jobs, say they are getting by through a combination of adrenaline and a sense of duty to their neighbors. |
| But as the physical and emotional toll on the thousands of unpaid firefighters mounts, Australia is facing questions about whether it can continue to rely on a volunteer force as climate change contributes to an ever-lengthening fire season. | But as the physical and emotional toll on the thousands of unpaid firefighters mounts, Australia is facing questions about whether it can continue to rely on a volunteer force as climate change contributes to an ever-lengthening fire season. |
| In the United States, most population centers are protected by career firefighters, though volunteers, most of whom are in rural areas, make up about 65 percent of the overall firefighting force. | In the United States, most population centers are protected by career firefighters, though volunteers, most of whom are in rural areas, make up about 65 percent of the overall firefighting force. |
| In Australia, as calls have grown for the country to begin compensating firefighters, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said that doing so is not an immediate goal, and that fire chiefs have not asked for the change. He noted that Australia relied on volunteers for many crucial services, including those of lifeguards at beaches. | In Australia, as calls have grown for the country to begin compensating firefighters, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said that doing so is not an immediate goal, and that fire chiefs have not asked for the change. He noted that Australia relied on volunteers for many crucial services, including those of lifeguards at beaches. |
| Sandra Lunardi, the acting chief executive of the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council, which coordinates firefighting efforts, said it would be difficult to institute a compensation system. | Sandra Lunardi, the acting chief executive of the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council, which coordinates firefighting efforts, said it would be difficult to institute a compensation system. |
| “To pay firefighters to be present in the numbers necessary and in the places necessary to give quick response to bush fires” in rural Australia was “a significant challenge, particularly when these fires are prolonged and frequent,” Ms. Lunardi wrote by email. | “To pay firefighters to be present in the numbers necessary and in the places necessary to give quick response to bush fires” in rural Australia was “a significant challenge, particularly when these fires are prolonged and frequent,” Ms. Lunardi wrote by email. |
| But members of the Fire Brigade Employees Union, which represents firefighters in Australia, said at a news conference last week that it was “bewildering” that the government expected volunteer firefighters to work for months on end without compensation. | But members of the Fire Brigade Employees Union, which represents firefighters in Australia, said at a news conference last week that it was “bewildering” that the government expected volunteer firefighters to work for months on end without compensation. |
| As they do so, the firefighters are risking their lives in the face of blazes that are growing larger and more intense as the country gets hotter and drier. That danger was tragically illustrated last week when two firefighters battling a blaze in a town southwest of Sydney were killed when their truck rolled over. | As they do so, the firefighters are risking their lives in the face of blazes that are growing larger and more intense as the country gets hotter and drier. That danger was tragically illustrated last week when two firefighters battling a blaze in a town southwest of Sydney were killed when their truck rolled over. |
| David Smart, captain of the volunteer firefighters in the Kangaroo Valley, 100 miles south of Sydney, said that his brigade was taking steps to manage the increased demands. The firefighters were cycling shifts to try to avoid fatigue, he said, but the long days still wore on them. And then there is the emotional trauma of seeing houses and bush land destroyed, he added. | David Smart, captain of the volunteer firefighters in the Kangaroo Valley, 100 miles south of Sydney, said that his brigade was taking steps to manage the increased demands. The firefighters were cycling shifts to try to avoid fatigue, he said, but the long days still wore on them. And then there is the emotional trauma of seeing houses and bush land destroyed, he added. |
| “I think everyone is very stressed,” he said. “People are tired. It’s been going for weeks on end.” | “I think everyone is very stressed,” he said. “People are tired. It’s been going for weeks on end.” |
| The burdens that fell on volunteer firefighters were lighter in the past, many said. In previous years, fires were more spread out through the year, said Brad Kelly, deputy captain of the Ingleside Fire Brigade, north of Sydney, which tackled a blaze on Monday. | The burdens that fell on volunteer firefighters were lighter in the past, many said. In previous years, fires were more spread out through the year, said Brad Kelly, deputy captain of the Ingleside Fire Brigade, north of Sydney, which tackled a blaze on Monday. |
| “They weren’t just one big continuous line of activity through that whole time,” he said. | “They weren’t just one big continuous line of activity through that whole time,” he said. |
| On a recent shift, firefighters did not return home until 4 a.m. “If a house is being impacted, you’re not going to walk away from it,” Mr. Kelly said. | On a recent shift, firefighters did not return home until 4 a.m. “If a house is being impacted, you’re not going to walk away from it,” Mr. Kelly said. |
| Ms. Baranowski, who comes from a family of firefighters, said that, “We do it because we need to do it.” | Ms. Baranowski, who comes from a family of firefighters, said that, “We do it because we need to do it.” |
| But taking time off to fight the blazes has strained her family financially, she said. They have managed only with the help of their local community northwest of Sydney, which has donated presents and helped with groceries and chores in the house. | But taking time off to fight the blazes has strained her family financially, she said. They have managed only with the help of their local community northwest of Sydney, which has donated presents and helped with groceries and chores in the house. |
| That community spirit was especially apparent after the two firefighters were killed last Thursday. Both left behind young children, and an online fund-raising page for their families has already raised more than $230,000, or nearly 350,000 Australian dollars. | That community spirit was especially apparent after the two firefighters were killed last Thursday. Both left behind young children, and an online fund-raising page for their families has already raised more than $230,000, or nearly 350,000 Australian dollars. |
| In Balmoral, a village southwest of Sydney where fires destroyed homes on Saturday, donations to the rural fire service filled the station and brought some firefighters to tears. | |
| “I haven’t even gone Christmas shopping or anything for my daughter,” a visibly moved Andrew Johnstone said in an interview with Nine News. “We just tried so hard to save some people’s homes and everything.” | “I haven’t even gone Christmas shopping or anything for my daughter,” a visibly moved Andrew Johnstone said in an interview with Nine News. “We just tried so hard to save some people’s homes and everything.” |
| On Tuesday, Mr. Morrison, the prime minister, who has been criticized for his government’s response to climate change as well as for his decision to take a vacation to Hawaii as the fires raged, announced that volunteer firefighters who were also federal government employees would get four weeks of paid leave to fight the fires. | On Tuesday, Mr. Morrison, the prime minister, who has been criticized for his government’s response to climate change as well as for his decision to take a vacation to Hawaii as the fires raged, announced that volunteer firefighters who were also federal government employees would get four weeks of paid leave to fight the fires. |
| “Today’s announcement is about ensuring our volunteer firefighters can keep focused on the job at hand,” he said in a statement. He acknowledged, though, that the measure would do little to benefit volunteers who were self-employed or who worked in the private sector. | “Today’s announcement is about ensuring our volunteer firefighters can keep focused on the job at hand,” he said in a statement. He acknowledged, though, that the measure would do little to benefit volunteers who were self-employed or who worked in the private sector. |
| The opposition leader, Anthony Albanese, welcomed the move but said it did not go far enough. He has called for the government to find ways to compensate the firefighters, perhaps through tax measures or one-time payments. | The opposition leader, Anthony Albanese, welcomed the move but said it did not go far enough. He has called for the government to find ways to compensate the firefighters, perhaps through tax measures or one-time payments. |
| Compensated or not, firefighters said they were prepared to jump back into action even as conditions were expected to improve over Christmas, with some rain and cooler temperatures. | Compensated or not, firefighters said they were prepared to jump back into action even as conditions were expected to improve over Christmas, with some rain and cooler temperatures. |
| “Fire doesn’t stop,” Mr. Kelly of the Ingleside Fire Brigade said. “Work still needs to be done.” | “Fire doesn’t stop,” Mr. Kelly of the Ingleside Fire Brigade said. “Work still needs to be done.” |
| Isabella Kwai reported from Sydney, and Livia Albeck-Ripka from Melbourne, Australia. | Isabella Kwai reported from Sydney, and Livia Albeck-Ripka from Melbourne, Australia. |