'He's a hero': Council supports renaming road after fallen firefighter

Walgett Shire Council supports the renaming of part of Grawin Road in memory of Captain Leo Fransen - from Diamond Beach Rural Fire Brigade - who died while on duty on Thursday, November 16.

A community member presented to council on February 27 after the Lightning Ridge community rallied behind the fallen captain, and 1200 people signed a petition to have the road name changed.

The petition creator's preferred name is Captain Leo Fransen Way, but this would be pending regulatory and family approval and might need to be shortened.

The woman behind the petition, Victoria Lugovoy - acting reserve manager for Lightning Ridge Area Opal Reserve - said Captain Fransen's sacrifice had touched the entire Lightning Ridge community.

"For a natural disaster like this, seeing people put their life on the line to defend a community that's not even theirs, I think is always going to be something that is deeply respected," Ms Lugovoy told the Daily Liberal.

"The generosity of people to put themselves in those situations to fight for a community are always going to be seen as heroes in a sense."

Ms Lugovoy was on the scene when the fire ripped through the small mining community of Glengarry.

Captain Fransen was part of a strike team that had been sent to the area from the mid-coast and was on his first day of a three-day deployment.

Tragically, Captain Fransen was struck by a falling tree and killed.

"I was present at the time when it was all going down," Ms Lugovoy said.

"It's a tremendously sad thing and it's not something that we ever could have imagined to have occurred.

"We want to showcase our thanks, to him and to every other member of the RFS, National Parks, SES, all that came out."

She continued: "There'd be a lot of people that wouldn't be here without them."

Walgett Shire Council's general manager Megan Dixon told the Daily Liberal the councillors support the name change, however the process is complicated.

The Geographical Names Board would need to approve the change, the change would need to be approved by Captain Fransen's family, and the change could not occur until 12 months after Captain Fransen died.

The road is not a gazetted road, but a private road, used by the opal fields, adding to the complexity.

"All of the councillors were supportive of what the community is doing ... " Ms Dixon said.

"There is definitely support for some sort of commemoration for loss of life serving our community. We'll work with the community in regard to that."

Senior Deputy Captain at the Diamond Beach brigade, Jim Sullivan, said the name change would honour "Leo's sacrifice in going out there".

He said the news was "very well received by the community here".

He said around 20 community members would be going on a pilgrimage to Lightning Ridge in mid-year for the official naming change.