General News
3 February, 2025
Horsham Showgrounds transformed into base camp for 300 firefighters
Showgrounds becomes small city for Grampians, Little Desert firefighters
Horsham Showgrounds transformed into a small city overnight to host a base camp for firefighters battling fires in the Grampians National Park and Little Desert National Parks in Western Victoria.
Horsham Base Camp supports 250 fire-fighting personnel from five states: Victoria, NSW, ACT, SA and NT.
A further 50 are expected to arrive shortly, bringing the total to 300.
Builders began erecting the camp on Friday, January 31, and it was ready to serve a hot dinner for 120 firefighters on Saturday.
Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action Team Leader on the ground, Chloe Steadman, said the Horsham site was ideal for their needs.
"We have space here; it's level, and the power and water are already here to connect to," she said.
"Horsham Agricultural Society Show secretary Andrea Cross has been wonderful to deal with and has made it much easier to set up and be operational quickly."
Large steel framed marquees provide shelter and air conditioning for sleepers in individual tents erected inside them.
Industrial air conditioners at each end of the marquees run day and night to keep the area cool.
Each person housed there has a separate tent with stretchers, bedding, sleeping bags and pillows provided.
The bedding is removed and laundered between each person's use and after a five-day shift.
Portable bathroom and laundry facilities are on-site, and a large meeting room is used for daily briefings and meals.
Commercial catering facilities provided by Crawfords Kitchen Hire with staff included are on site.
"Sunday's weather proved challenging for those erecting marquees and tents," Ms Steadman said.
"One minute, it was so hot, and the next, it was either windy or raining, proving very difficult.
"Hence, it is better to have the individual tents sheltered inside the large marquees to protect them from damage and comfort our personnel.
"We had to erect some tents in the open at the weekend simply because we didn't have the marquees we needed."
Barbara Bednarek, the CFA's Base Camp manager, said the work of organisers and builders had been remarkable.
"It is like setting up a small city when we establish a Base Camp," she said.
"As well as the infrastructure, we need plumbers and electricians to connect the facilities.
"We have 250 personnel here now, and we provide a comfortable place for them to eat, sleep and provide laundries and bathrooms.
"The tents offer them privacy, and we make them as comfortable as possible for the firefighters so they get a comfortable rest."
Firefighters have eskies filled with ice, water and icepacks on the ground to help maintain body temperature and fluids.
The Base Camp will operate for an estimated five to six weeks, but that will depend on the fire and the needed clean-up and rehab.