In Western Australia, volunteer firefighters are facing significant frustration and fatigue as they are forced to 'babysit' pole-top fires while waiting for Western Power crews to arrive and confirm safety protocols. The delays stem from the requirement that emergency services cannot extinguish a pole-top fire until a Western Power worker verifies that the power has been safely isolated. This situation has become especially concerning for the local volunteer brigades, as many of them are already stretched thin with resources and personnel due to ongoing threats of fires in the region.

Gingin shire president has highlighted the increasing strain on firefighters, underscoring that they often waste hours at the scene of these fires simply waiting for confirmation that they can safely act. The issue is compounded by the specific conditions leading to pole-top fires, which occur typically when light rain and dirt on power pole insulators create arcing and ignite the infrastructure. This means that as long as it takes for Western Power to respond, firefighters are left in a holding pattern, unable to address the fire and mitigate risks to local safety and infrastructure.

Karen Chappel, president of the WA Local Government Association, emphasized the need for collaboration between Western Power and regional councils to seek out more effective solutions. The current slow response times from Western Power not only stretch local resources but also increase the fatigue and risk for volunteer firefighters, who are critical to emergency response efforts in rural communities. The ongoing situation raises questions about emergency management practices and the necessary partnerships needed to ensure public safety against fire hazards in the region.