Australia Wild Fires

GZR_Sactargets · Post by **GZR_Sactargets** » 09 Feb 2009, 19:42

This is a tragedy in terms of lives and property lost. While watching the news from several sources, I have not seen mention of or photographs of any fire-fighting aircraft. Doesn't Australia have any??

MIKE JG · Post by **MIKE JG** » 09 Feb 2009, 20:27

Marv I've seen some footage the last couple of days of Blackhawks (Firehawks) dropping water. Not sure beyond that if/what they are using.

A couple years ago they were using these bad boys down there, but I think those had to be flown in. Either way this is a horrible tragedy unfolding

I hope all of our VOZ friends are safe and sound.

jetmax · Post by **jetmax** » 09 Feb 2009, 21:32

I just saw some shots of the Sikorsky S-64F being used down under. Anyone know what thier fixed wing fire fighting capability is?

At any rate I wish them luck. Looks like a real mess.

sprocky · Post by **sprocky** » 09 Feb 2009, 22:01

Having seen this tragedy on TV I did not think of australian fire fighting aircraft yet. Hopefully they will extinguish those fires soon. I wonder why there have not been requests for international help such as for the huge size US 910 tanker aircraft (at least I am not aware of).

Dark Morelia · Post by **Dark Morelia** » 09 Feb 2009, 23:29

I believe there are around 3 Skycranes in the country at the moment, and a host of smaller helicopter bombers, but I'm not familiar with what, if any, fixed wing bombers are around.
Considering the fires we have every summer, while not usually this bad, it's hard to believe our useless government doesnt have any sort of plan beyond hiring a couple of skycranes every year.

GZR_Sactargets · Post by **GZR_Sactargets** » 10 Feb 2009, 02:33

You would think some of those C-130 fire sets could be moved fairly easily. I don't know how long it takes to install the kit. With our seasons being opposite, it would seem that some could even be flown there by the commercial fire fighter companies. California, Oregon, Washington in our summer and Oz in their summer season.

Dark Morelia · Post by **Dark Morelia** » 10 Feb 2009, 02:50

I'm told there were RAAF C-130s fighting the "Ash Wednesday" fires in 1983. The death toll from those fires was 75... according to the news i just watched, the current confirmed toll is 173, and they've only just started searching for bodies.
Methinks that if the assets could've been mobilised in time, it might not be so high.

I dunno how long it takes though.

GZR_Sactargets · Post by **GZR_Sactargets** » 12 Feb 2009, 21:08

Got this from an Aussie Friend who works for the RAAF.

We dont have fire fighting capability with our C130's as far as I'm aware ,the only ones that we have are the RAAF fleet.
No civilian operated ones.
Heard on the news that the Govt and a couple of fire agencies were made enquiries regard the Boeing 747 fire bombers being developed in the US. It's still in its developement stage at this time.
All of the fire fighters you see on the TV and in the photos are from the CFA (Country Fire Association ),I think they get some funding from the State Govts for vehicles ans equipment , they are all volunteers they dont get paid .They work normal jobs and get called out in situations like this.
The fires were inveitable , 40DegC+ temperatures hot high gusting northerly winds and fire bugs lighting fires .
They have two blokes in custody at the moment.
Death toll has risen to 181 and 80 still missing and the house losses are just over the 1069 mark.last I heard this morning.
There are still 29 fires burning around the State.
Forensic police and fire crews are being sent from here down to help.The Army is also been told to go in and help.
The country around that area is covered with Mountain Ash a native eucalypt tree , the high summer temperatures cause the trees to produce high levels of eucalytus oil in the leaves and it becomes highly flammable ,creating an explosive situation when a fire goes through the tree foliage literally explodes in to flame and creates a fire storm that races across the tree tops ,its difficult to fight fires like this from the ground and the heat is immense.There were reports of tree trunks exploding also from the extreme heat.
**But they still insist on building houses in areas like this and the greenies and the govt conservation agencies wont let people burn off when the grass is still green ,wont let peole create cleared areas near houses. The build up of under brush gets to dangerous levels and this is the result. (**Seems we have the same problems in the USA.)
Lots of finger pointing and blame game going on now in the media.
Here in the Territory the grass grows to 8 feet high during the wet season ,as soon as the rains stop ,they wait a few weeks and start lighting fires to break the grass down ,these fires are cold and burn with a low heat ,but it reduces the fuel load so that when the really hot weather get here there is a very much reduced risk of wild fires.

Sue and I will be donating this week to the appeal , last I heard it was close to 40 million donated already ,this dosent take include the Govt funds .They are going to need it .
It's payback time ,as we were shown unlimited generosity when the flood hit Katherine in 1998.