THE North East will have nine water bombing planes on standby this summer amid concerns it will be a high risk fire season.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The newest planes — an Air Tractor AT802 known as the Fireboss — can hold 3200 litres of water and is filled as it skims across water.
Pilot Steve Death spent 50 flying hours bringing the plane from Arkansas in the US to Albury, and said it was an efficient firefighting tool.
“It’s a very rapid method of delivering water to a fire,” he said.
“We’re very fortunate to have it based in Albury.”
CFA District 24 officer in charge Paul King said unlike many water bombers, the aircraft could refill from open bodies of water like Lake Hume and Dartmouth without landing.
A retardant is added to the water to help extinguish fires.
The CFA is also using a new system which will see water bombers deployed to the first call of fire in certain conditions.
“The season by all measures is going to be difficult,” Mr King said.
“We had a really dry October and November which has set the scene for a catastrophic fire season.
“We’ve now had a reprieve with wetter and more humid weather, which is probably going to help us until Christmas.
“But if we don’t get any continuous rain after that, we’ll certainly be back into a very serious fire season.”
While the Fireboss is contracted for Victorian use, Mr King said Victorian and NSW services regularly shared resources.
The local Fireboss is one of only three used in Australia.
