Operation VIC FIRE ASSIST
28 February 2009
Defence continues cleanup
Army Reserve troops from Victoria joined Victoria Police in a more detailed search for bushfire victims in Kinglake on Thursday.
About 20 troops had been drawn to form search teams, predominantly from Melbourne’s infantry battalion, 5/6 RVR.
This second, more detailed search, follows preliminary searches immediately after Black Saturday. Many of the same soldiers had been involved in the earlier searches.
The troops had been given special training, and special protective equipment, for the task. Some buildings in the area are believed to contain asbestos.
Initial search efforts focused on burnt-out houses and other buildings in an area between Toolangi and Kinglake.
More than 100 fresh troops from interstate are expected to replace the local Reservists on Sunday.
Police have estimated that approximately 30 people are still unaccounted for in the wake of the bushfires.
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| 20090226adf8114832_001 The road to Kinglake, Victoria. (Date taken: 26 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090226adf8114832_007 The road to to Kinglake, Victoria (Date taken: 26 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090226adf8114832_024 Burnt trees near Kinglake, Victoria. (Date taken: 26 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090226adf8114832_080 Army personnel from 5th/6th Battalion, the Royal Victoria Regiment (5/6 RVR), joined Victoria Police in a more detailed search for bushfire victims in the Kinglake area. (Date taken: 26 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090226adf8114832_094 Army personnel from 5th/6th Battalion, the Royal Victoria Regiment (5/6 RVR), joined Victoria Police in a more detailed search for bushfire victims in the Kinglake area. (Date taken: 26 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090226adf8114832_098 Army personnel from 5th/6th Battalion, the Royal Victoria Regiment (5/6 RVR), join Victoria Police in a more detailed search for bushfire victims in Kinglake area. (Date taken: 26 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090226adf8114832_106 Army personnel from 5th/6th Battalion, the Royal Victoria Regiment (5/6 RVR), join Victoria Police in a more detailed search for bushfire victims in Kinglake area. (Date taken: 26 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090226adf8114832_151 Army personnel from 5th/6th Battalion, the Royal Victoria Regiment (5/6 RVR), join Victoria Police in a more detailed search for bushfire victims in Kinglake area. (Date taken: 26 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090226adf8114832_167 Army personnel from 5th/6th Battalion, the Royal Victoria Regiment (5/6 RVR), are decontamined after searches were conducted on bushfire-affected properties in the Kinglake area. (Date taken: 26 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090226adf8114832_177 Army personnel from 5th/6th Battalion, the Royal Victoria Regiment (5/6 RVR), are decontamined after searches were conducted on bushfire-affected properties in the Kinglake area. (Date taken: 26 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090226adf8114832_197 Army personnel from 5th/6th Battalion, the Royal Victoria Regiment (5/6 RVR), are decontamined after searches were conducted on bushfire-affected properties in the Kinglake area. (Date taken: 26 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20090226adf8114832_219 Major Garry Ward briefs Victorian Police at the Command Post on current searches completed in the affected areas. (Date taken: 26 February 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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