Aerial water bombers a major factor in limiting recent bush fire damage

12/2/98

The State's two aerial water bombers were a major factor in limiting the damage of several bush fires in the past few days.

Emergency Services Minister John Day said the two water bombers had flown non-stop for more than six hours on Tuesday.

"They supported ground crews at fires in the southern suburbs around Canning Vale," Mr Day said.

This was the second time in two days that the bombers had been called to fires that could have had enormous impact on homes and other private property.

"On Monday, when temperatures reached 40 degrees, the bombers helped contain a bushfire in Darlington to just 50ha without loss of property," the Minister said.

"The Darlington fire forced the evacuation of the local primary school and without the water bombers, the fire would have severely threatened homes and other private property and community assets.

"The bombers also suppressed another fire at Oakford on Monday.

"On Tuesday, the planes made a total of 24 drops from just after midday till about 7 pm over nine fires in the southern suburbs. The bombers were effective in saving a number of homes and sheds as well as restricting the burned area.

"The value of the planes was particularly evident when they controlled numerous spotfires that occurred during a backburning operation. Spotfires can drastically increase the area of a fire and create increased hazards for fire fighters unless they are contained quickly."

So far this summer, the planes have flown a total of 72 hours on 42 missions and made 210 drops. This compares with a total flying time of 42 hours in the same period last year.

Mr Day said the State Government had given the go-ahead to use the bombers for the next three years following Operation Firebird, during which fire authorities conducted an intensive trial and evaluation of water bombing last year.

"The use of the planes this week has reinforced several key points about aerial fire fighting techniques," he said.

"In particular, it shows that the planes are most effective when they are used as a rapid response strike force with ground crews readily available along the fireline.

"They also can knock down fires such as hopovers when they are still small.

"The main limiting factor is fire behaviour. If a fire is too intense or erratic for ground crews to mount a direct attack, then water bombing is likely to be less effective. "

"Experience from overseas and interstate suggests that this applies irrespective of the size of the water bombers used."

Mr Day said the success of the water bombing operations was a further example of the close working relationship among the State's three fire agencies Fire and Rescue Service, Bush Fire Service and the Department of Conservation and Land Management's fire branch.

"Inter-agency arrangements introduced following the State Government's assessment of the fire risk in the Darling Scarp in 1994 has led to a more effective and efficient fire suppression effort in the metropolitan area and the Hills," he said.

"However, I cannot emphasise strongly enough that the responsibility for preventing wildfires and the destruction they cause is something that rests with the whole community.

"We are in the middle of another hot spell and I urge all landowners to look around their properties and clean up any hazards that could lead to serious property damage in the event of a bush fire."

Mr Day also congratulated the volunteer firefighters who along with their professional colleagues played a major role in putting out the Darlington fires under very difficult and dangerous circumstances.

Media contacts: Ministerial: Anabel Gomez 9366 0300

Operations: Rick Sneeuwjagt 9334 0375