Media release – Tasmania Fire Service, 21 January 2026

Tasmanian firefighting personnel deployed to Victoria

Highly trained Tasmanian firefighting personnel have deployed to Victoria today to assist with ongoing firefighting activities.

Tasmania Fire Service Deputy Chief Officer Matt Lowe said the interstate support was a multi-agency effort across the TFS, Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service and Sustainable Timber Tasmania.

Images and video available here.

With deployments also taking place late last week, Tasmania has now deployed 51 personnel and 10 vehicles to assist Victoria. Further rotations will be considered, if requests for assistance are made.

Personnel fulfilling various Incident Management Team and Arduous Firefighter roles have been deployed to the Mallee Fire Complex (Mildura), Walwa Fire Complex (Tallangatta) and Otway Fire Complex (Colac).

Deputy Chief Officer Lowe said the deployment was important to support mainland firefighter resources, with Tasmania playing its part in a national effort.

“The purpose of this deployment is two-fold. We send crews over and that’s reciprocated when we get busy, as we saw last year with the west coast fires,” he said.

“But also, it’s a valuable time for our people to obtain skills, and to work with other agencies, so that they can bring back that knowledge and those skills and apply it in their own state.

“The majority of fires in Victoria are now in mop up and clean-up stage, but they are conscious that with the upcoming fire weather in Victoria, with significant heat and wind coming, they may get new starts which our people can then be redeployed to.”

Deputy Chief Lowe said as Tasmania deploys personnel to assist interstate counterparts, it was timely for the community to be prepared for bushfire risks at home.

“The best defence against a bushfire that threatens your community is being prepared, staying informed, and keeping up-to-date with information to keep safe,” he said.

“Know your risk, develop and practice bushfire plans, know how to access information, and review the Community Bushfire Protection Plan for your area.”

  • Keep up to date with warnings and information on the TasALERT app or at TasALERT.com, or by listening to ABC Local Radio.
  • For more information on how to prepare for bushfires, visit https://bushfire.tas.gov.au/

Featured image above: Tasmania Fire Service personnel (from left) Senior Bushfire Management Planning Officer – Southern Region Denna Kingdom; Manager  Community Preparedness Peter Middleton; and A/Assistant Director Bushfire Risk Mitigation Pep Turner, at Hobart airport on Wednesday.