Australian government deploys army reservists, third navy ship to support firefighters

The sky glows red as surrounding wildfires close in on the town of Mallacoota, Victoria, Australia, January 4, 2020, in this photo obtained from social media. @brendanh_au/via REUTERS

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - The Australian government said on Saturday that up to 3,000 army reservists would be deployed to help communities hit by spreading wildfires and a third navy ship had been readied to support evacuations from coastal towns.

It is the first time there has been a compulsory call out of reserve brigades in Australia, underlining the scale of the emergency. They will help deliver supplies to isolated communities, evacuate people in need, and assist in reopening roads and preparing fire breaks to contain the blazes.