Fire Fighting PLANES ?

[jlb]

Why don't we have fire fighting planes in Australia?? They are so much more efficient and so much faster than helicopters and they can fly in much harder conditions too!! France uses them all the time in their south-east and THEY WORK!
What I mean is: is there a technical issue specific to Australia that stops us from getting them? Or is it simply that Rud's a Million is giving so much money away that he can't buy fire-fighting, life-saving equipment?..

 

[4rgum3nt]

A huge problem with fire fighting planes is refilling them.
Australia traditionally has shallower water ways, with not as much clearing around them.
Sure you could fill planes up in large lakes, Bays or other seaside areas, but then you have to fly to the fire. What on average would take an hour to fly too.
Doing the mathematics that is one dumping of water approximately every two hours, not including having to land and refuel and change out aircrews.

Helicopters on the other hand are not as limited in refilling, and even refueling can be done with the helicopter still in the air. A Helicopter can refill even from water tanks, pools and dams on remote properties that allows a lot more versatility in engaging a fire front. In most cases readily available water is no more than a ten to twenty minute flight to and from the fire front (five or more hits of water is possible in an hour).

Other systems of chemical and sand dumps are sometimes employed around the world. But these are even less effective in delivery of dumps per hour. because of the complex refueling required.

Another thing is that Bush Fires in Australia are a little different to most other places in the world, because of our terrain, fuel type (the sorts of trees and shrubs in our forests) and location of infrastructure to defend ourselves.
Sure a lot of these individually are less hard than places like California and North Eastern Spain (very hilly and drier/oilier fuel) but it is just in the right mix to be really bloody tough to maintain an Australian Bush Fire.

BTW: All states in Australia do have some fire fighting planes, it is just that their effectiveness is limited in most cases, so you don't hear much about them.

 

[oldmate]

Fire fighting is run by the states, not the federal government. So you can't really blame the federal government on this. The other issue is although planes may be faster, they also need larger areas of water for the pick ups. The choppers can pick up water from dams, pools and smaller reserves. France is a different layout to the australian landscape. Even though the plans may be faster and stronger fighting areas in some areas, they are not always the best option. Maybe at the end of the day it would be worth while having one or two, i think the choppers are the better option.

 

[Hakite]

Its a total misnomer i.e. fire fighting panes are very limited in fighting large fires / bush and/or brush fires as is the current Aussie problem!

At the end of the day firefighting teams invariably have to "get-in-close'' to initially contain a fire and then extinguish it in total

There are enough such fires annually in both the US & Canadian forests / outback that enforce this to the hilt!

I'm sure with all due respect to Aussie - both the US & Canada would be more than readily available to assist in every way to educate and train their Aussie counterparts accordingly

 

[Hakite]

Its a total misnomer i.e. fire fighting panes are very limited in fighting large fires / bush and/or brush fires as is the current Aussie problem!

At the end of the day firefighting teams invariably have to "get-in-close'' to initially contain a fire and then extinguish it in total

There are enough such fires annually in both the US & Canadian forests / outback that enforce this to the hilt!

I'm sure with all due respect to Aussie - both the US & Canada would be more than readily available to assist in every way to educate and train their Aussie counterparts accordingly