Australian wildfires: Photo of volunteer firefighter holding newborn son at fire station goes viral

Beau Haines was sent to fight the blazes just days before his first child was born

A photograph of an Australian volunteer firefighter holding his newborn child has gone viral on social media.

Kurt Hickling, a professional photographer and experienced CFA (Country Fire Authority) volunteer, was hired by Beau Haines, a fellow firefighter, and his wife Cassie to complete a newborn baby photo shoot following the birth of their son, Spencer.

The baby was born on Christmas Eve just days after Haines was sent to fight devastating blazes around the south coast of New South Wales.

While the new father was able to get back from the fires in time for the birth, he struggled to find time to fit in the photo shoot, so the family decided to take the images at the local fire station.

“We choose to do the shoot in the fire station because the parents requested it due to the nearby threats of bush fires and felt this would be the safest option,” Hickling tells The Independent.

“We are also firefighters. My wife Charlyne and myself have been members and fighting fires for 16 years. We wanted to come up with an idea that would send a powerful and positive message to everyone far and wide.”

Hickling added that the idea of photographing the father and son in the engine room of the Kiewa fire station helped send the message that “not all heroes wear capes”.

“The message we wanted was to show was that the men and woman of the CFA are paramount to the community and to show they have families to come home to, which is why we always pray for a safe return to our firefighters,” the photographer said.

Since the image of Haines and his newborn son was shared on the Hickling Photography Facebook page, it has received more than 4.8k likes, 2,500 shares and reached more than 400,000 people.

“Charlyne and I are both thrilled for mum, dad and baby and we feel so overwhelmed with our image going viral,” Hickling said.

The photo has also been flooded with comments of support for Haines and his fellow firefighters.

“Thank. You for all the sacrifices made and everything done by you all and what you have endured during this crisis. You are all incredible,” one person wrote.

Another added: “This pic represents the wonderful work our firefighters are continuing to do and the innocence they are protecting to the best of their ability!! THANK YOU FIREFIGHTERS!!”

A third person commented: “Spencer is totally adorable. Thank you Beau for your tireless work...especially at such an important time in you life. Stay safe Beau.”

Soon after the photoshoot was completed, Haines was sent back out to help tackle the wildfires which have so far claimed the lives of 24 people.

The fires have also destroyed more than 1,500 homes, and last week ecologists at the University of Sydney estimated that around 480 million animals had been killed, including 8,000 koalas.