Waterbombers sent to bushfire-prone Wheatbelt as WA harvest heats up

Waterbombing “aerial strike teams” capable of quickly responding to potentially devastating crop fires are being deployed across WA’s Wheatbelt this harvest after a successful trial. The two teams each boast a five-person crew in charge of a fixed-wing waterbomber, air attack supervision aircraft and fuel truck to help ground crews battle blazes. The first team started in Geraldton on October 19, dropping more than 88,000 litres of water and suppressant on four large fires at Eganu, Howatharra, Allanooka and Beekeepers Nature Reserve. With harvest heating up to the south, the second team was stationed in Narrogin late last month. Both teams will be moved to various operating bases in high fire risk areas across the Wheatbelt as the harvest progresses, or where a response to active fires is required. The aircraft can cruise at a speed of 280km/h, drop up to 3150L each and need just minutes to refuel and reload. Fire and Emergency Services commissioner Darren Klemm said crop fires were often sparked by machinery or lightning and, when combined with dangerous weather conditions, could escalate quickly. “Crops provide an easy source of fuel for fires to take hold and this strategy is about supporting firefighters on the ground in the initial stages of fires,” he said. “This strategy proved extremely successful last year, dropping more than 390,000L of water and retardant to suppress flames and prevent fires from spreading, providing crucial support for farmers and firefighters on the ground.” The aircrafts’ deployment comes after a large air tanker — which are faster, have larger capacity and longer range compared to the rest of WA’s aerial firefighting fleet — was stationed in WA for the first time. The Busselton-based C130 Hercules is also able to fly in extreme conditions including low visibility. The State has previously relied on available aircraft through the National Aerial Firefighting Centre. Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson said the C130 Hercules LAT would remain in WA for the fire season and would continue to be brought to WA for another three summers. For the first time, WA will also get a second large air tanker this summer — a Commonwealth-funded Boeing 737 Fireliner, due to arrive later this month and also based in Busselton. Also adding to bushfire mitigation was a $4 million package unveiled by Mr Dawson this week, designed to help local governments from Dandaragan to Ravensthorpe. A total 25 regional and metro councils received funds through the Mitigation Activity Fund, which bankrolls grants for more than 550 mitigation activities in high-risk bushfire areas — including firebreaks, reducing fuel loads and hazard reduction burns. The biggest regional recipient was the Shire of Jerramungup in WA’s Great Southern, which received $329,900, followed by other high rollers the Shire of Dandaragan at $242,500 and the Shire of Plantagenet at $295,000. Large swathes of WA face a heightened bushfire risk this summer as hot and dry conditions combine with heavy fuel loads, prompting authorities to remind everyone to be prepared. The national bushfire outlook for summer, released late last month, warns of above-normal fire potential for the Darling Scarp just east of Perth and western parts of the South West jarrah forest region down to Manjimup, where lower-than-usual rainfall has left soil moisture below average. The new firefighting aids come as WA farmers — many of them volunteer firefighters — get on with harvesting what analysts predict could be another record crop. The Grains Industry of WA’s November forecast is sitting at 23.967 million tonnes, but GIWA Crop Report author and agronomist Michael Lamond has predicted it could potentially surpass last record 24.3Mt harvest by a “fair margin”. WA’s main grain handler and marketer CBH Group has welcomed the extra firefighting resources, with chief operations officer Mick Daw saying the safety of growers, employees and farming communities was the co-operative’s top priority. “Many of our growers and team members are also bushfire service volunteers and the fire season can add extra pressure during the already busy harvest season,” he said. “We welcome the additional support these aerial strike teams will provide to support the efforts of the on-ground firefighting teams.” A Department of Fire and Emergency Services spokeswoman said the aerial strike teams would be active “for the hottest and most fire-prone stretch” of harvest, “boosting response times across WA’s nine million hectare grain growing region”, which is almost as big as Victoria. The program is funded by DFES with support from the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.