‘Loving wife, mum, daughter, aunty, sister’: Tributes flow for CFS volunteer killed in line of duty

South Australia’s Country Fire Service has paid tribute to Louise Hincks, a volunteer firefighter who was killed by a falling tree yesterday.

The 44-year-old from Happy Valley brigade was attending the fire at Coles, near Lucindale, in South Australia’s south-east.

“Firefighting is inherently dangerous as an occupation and yesterday we received an awful reminder of just how dangerous firefighting can be,” CFS chief officer Mark Jones said.

“The Country Fire Service is often described as a family and yesterday morning we lost one of those family members and another was badly injured.

Another firefighter in his 60s was seriously injured, but the CFS is optimistic he will make a full recovery.

“I hope the professionalism and dedication they display makes every South Australian as proud as I am today,” Mr Jones said.

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More than 160 volunteer firefighters from SA and Victoria remain at the fireground, where the fire is burning within control lines.

Firefighters have worked through the night battling the blaze in blue gum plantation and scrub.

Mr Jones said Ms Hincks first joined the CFS as a volunteer with the Eden Hills brigade, in Adelaide’s foothills, when she was a teenager 28 years ago.

“Louise also provided vital mental health support to fellow emergency service responders through our sectors, stress prevention and management program,” he said.

He said that Ms Hincks was a “passionate” and “much-loved” volunteer who would “do anything to help” her colleagues and would “remain forever in our hearts”.

“We have lost dedicated volunteer, South Australia has lost a valuable community member and her family have lost a devoted wife and mother,” he said.

Premier Steven Marshall also expressed condolences to Ms Hincks’s friends and family, and praised her bravery.

Ms Hincks’s brother said their family had been left “devastated” by the loss.

Tony Brown said his sister’s community-minded spirit was reflected in her decision to study psychology and work in the mental health sector.

“From 15 years of age, Louise was very dedicated to serving her community, not just through the CFS but through other community programs.

“The family are a very tight-knit group, we’re very close to each other and whilst we’re just in unbelievable grief and shock at the moment, the family without doubt sends out their love and appreciation to everyone on social media, to everyone in the CFS that has known Louise.”

Ms Hincks worked at Flinders University as a member of its health, counselling and disability services team and provided support to students and staff.

Deputy vice-chancellor Romy Lawson said described her as “fearless and dedicated”, saying she “always stepped up to assist in any emergency”.

“Louise was a committed, skilled and supportive member of the Counselling team and her death is a huge shock and loss,” Professor Lawson said.

“Louise’s dedication and commitment to her work at Flinders was echoed in her selfless volunteering for the CFS.”

The university said those who worked closely with her would be offered crisis counselling.

Crew expected to remain for next week

The CFS said communication on the fireground had been challenging, and there was initially some confusion about how the fatal accident had occurred, with early reports indicating the two firefighters were inside a truck when the tree fell.

“By mid-afternoon, it was established no-one had been inside the vehicle and the tree had struck two firefighters outside of the vehicle,” Mr Jones said.

He said firefighting operations were continuing and that, while weather conditions are now less severe, brigades were alert to the possibility of that changing.

“We’re optimistic about having it enclosed and contained today,” he said.

“As we saw in the last two days, it only needs the weather and the wind to get up quickly and suddenly the fire breaks out again.”

CFS deputy incident controller Gerry Thomson said there was a “huge response” to the blaze, which has been “one of the bigger ones I’ve been exposed to”.

“We believe it’s 3,800 hectares which has a fire line of 50 kilometres,” he said.

He said 300 personnel, including strike teams, were being assisted by water bombers and he expected crews to remain on the ground for a week.

“For the next 48 hours, the wind’s going to be from the north-east – that’s working in our favour a bit,” he said.

“The western flank, even though we’ve got hotspots there, we’ve got plenty of resources and aircraft to jump on any sudden outbreaks.”