23/01/03
The State Government's two new helitacs (water bombing helicopters) continue to prove their worth, playing a vital role in the control of two fires in two days.
The helitacs, along with two fixed-wing water bombers, 34 ground appliances and more than 60 firefighters successfully battled a major blaze in Lesmurdie yesterday.
And today the helitacs were back in action, helping control a fire which blackened about 25ha of scrub in the Helena Valley.
While visiting Lesmurdie residents today, Mrs Roberts said the helitacs, part of a $1.3million commitment to bolster WA's aerial firefighting capacity this summer, were crucial in averting a disaster yesterday.
Firefighters had faced some anxious moments with the blaze burning below houses perched along the ridge and limited ground access due to the very steep terrain.
"The Lesmurdie blaze had a fire front almost 1km wide and came within metres of Ashurst Drive properties," Mrs Roberts said.
"The helitacs and fixed wing water bombers were our best weapons for protecting those houses.
"This is a perfect example of how the aerial firefighting strategies worked hand-in-hand with career and volunteer firefighters on the ground to save residents and their homes from potential disaster."
Yesterday's fire started at about 4.30pm in the Lesmurdie Falls National Park.
Fire and Emergency Services Authority Aviation Manager Dave Webster said the fire provided the perfect scenario to demonstrate the effectiveness of WA's aerial firefighting strategy.
"Although the scale was obviously vastly different, yesterday's situation at Lesmurdie was not dissimilar to what firefighter's faced in parts of Canberra. We're just pleased we had the resources to fight it effectively," Mr Webster said.
Mrs Roberts said she was still concerned about the number of residents living in high risk areas who had still not heeded the wildfire safety messages.
"It's imperative residents improve their chances of surviving a wildfire by trimming branches around their houses, as well as clearing debris and cleaning out gutters to create a 20m circle of safety around their homes," she said.
Minister's office: 9213 6613
