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18 October 2023
Hot, dry summer ahead
McDermott Aviation waterbombing a bushfire. Photo: McDermott Aviation.
Residents advised get ready, be prepared for bushfires BY ALEX PURCELL WITH a hot, dry summer ahead, residents are being advised to get ready and be prepared for bushfires. Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) area director for rural fire, Inspector Andrew Allan, told the Cooroy Rag we're in for a hotter and drier summer than normal. "With El Nino, we're looking at a hot, dry summer, and coming out of two to three years of wet, the fuel has had an opportunity to grow. "Because of this, we've more chance of fast-running grass fires
out the back of the hinterland. "The other downside with El Nino is, with potential storms and cyclones, the amount doesn't increase but the intensity does. "And lightning strikes often happen on top of hills making fires inaccessible." Inspector Allan said we're going to get bushfires this season but not like those in 2019. "Those bushfires were unprecedented. Next year is going to be the year for intense bushfires. With El Nino extending into next year, fuels are going to be very dry." And there have been a number of bushfires on the Coast this season already.
"The Beerwah fire in September was a large one. QFES were on that one for a week with 65 fire trucks and air operations," Inspector Allan said. Cooroy company McDermott Aviation assisted in the aerial firefighting of the Beerwah fire. McDermott Aviation business manager Samantha McDermott said so far they have flown over 400 hours in Queensland and 90 hours in NSW water bombing fires. "We have two pilots who started their contracts in Queensland and already they've flown over 300 hours on the contract machines alone, fighting fires from Bundaberg to Toowoomba."
For over 20 years, McDermott Aviation has been helping fight fires all over the world and hold contracts right across Australia with NAFC (National Aerial Firefighting Centre). "We have two contracts in Queensland, nine in WA, three in Victoria, two in NSW and four in Tasmania. "On these 84-day government contracts, we move a helicopter and a pilot to a standby base and have to respond to a fire within 15 minutes. "We also have contracts overseas, and in Greece this season (Australian winter) we've flown around 1,250 hours with eight
aircraft." Inspector Allan said while next year is going to be the year for intense bushfires, that doesn't mean we can get complacent. "Unfortunately, the fire that hurts the most is the one we weren't expecting. Be vigilant. If you see smoke, ring 000 (triple zero). "Clean up properties in semi-rural areas, remove flammables in the yard, trim trees overhanging buildings and cut any long grass around the house. Make a defendable area. "And have a bushfire plan as well, in the event there is a large fire in the area. You can download one from the QFES website."
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Cooroy Rag, 18 October 2023 - Page
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