Former NSW RFS commissioner Phil Koperberg has backed the decisions of the state's two firefighting services amid accusations a turf war hampered efforts to battle the Tathra fire.
The Fire Brigade Employees Union believes tension between the RFS and NSW Fire & Rescue contributed to the loss of 65 homes on Sunday after it was revealed an initial offer of assistance from the latter was rejected.
The RFS says the offered help of a NSWFR urban pumper wouldn't have been suitable for the firefighting terrain, while the state's Emergency Services Minister Troy Grant said on Wednesday he was disgusted by the "union bastardry".
Mr Koperberg said Mr Grant rejected any claims of a turf war between the services.
"There's certainly a turf war between the union and the rest of the universe in terms of logic," he told the ABC on Thursday.
"I don't think we should underplay the cooperation which exists between the two organisations, because it's to a very high order."
Mr Koperberg said the union was attempting to exert influence, and there was "no argument whatsoever" for merging the two organisations.
He believes the RFS acted appropriately by accepting NSWFR assistance as soon as it became clear the blaze would not be contained to the Bega hinterland.
"A pumper plays no useful role in bushfire situations," Mr Koperberg said.
"The decision to say 'thank you but no thank you' was a sound one."
He also praised staff from both organisations as highly-trained, professional and well-equipped.
Almost 100 homes, cabins and caravans were destroyed in Sunday's inferno, and some residents have expressed concern over a lack of warning.
Mr Koperberg says there will always be "frailties" with mobile phone technology including bad reception and interference from the fire itself.
"It's an imperfect science," he said.
"The RFS and NSW Fire & Rescue do their best to deploy the technology in the most efficient manner, sometimes it's going to fail."
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