A NSW Rural Fire Service captain has been seriously injured while battling the Kangaroo Creek Road fire near Coutts Crossing on Wednesday afternoon.
Emergency services were called to the scene at about 5:15 pm after the firefighter, a man in his 50s, was struck by a falling tree while assisting with backburning operations. He sustained head, spinal, and pelvic injuries and was treated on site by NSW Ambulance paramedics before being airlifted to Gold Coast University Hospital in a serious condition.
The firefighter, based with the Coffs Harbour Brigade, was working in an area that had reached an emergency warning level late last week. His wife, also a Rural Fire Service deputy captain, was on the fire line with him and is being supported by the RFS while he receives treatment.
Clarence Valley RFS operations confirmed the incident occurred during efforts to contain around four to five kilometres of active fire edge. Crews continue to monitor and patrol the Kangaroo Creek Road fire, with containment efforts ongoing amid challenging weather conditions.
The NSW RFS has extended its thoughts to the injured firefighter and his family and thanked responding paramedics, volunteers, and air support teams for their swift response.
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