 Fire suppression was left to local residents who would band together to fight fires as they arose without any formal organisation or authority to set backburns.In 1913, Councils were given the right to appoint Fire Control Officers, with powers to do anything 'necessary or expedient and practicable' to prevent fires, or to protect life and property in the case of fire, or to control or extinguish a fire including backburning.Technological expansion after the Second World War revolutionised rural firefighting with the development of radios, telephones, motor transport and the knapsack spray.