Bombs away on fire fleet
SUPER water bombers will be deployed to Queensland to put out fires quicker under a $ 26 million Morrison Government plan that will also help overhaul the almost 60- year- old National Fire Danger Rating System.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison will today announce a multi- pronged package firstly focused on putting out fires raging across Queensland.
About $ 11 million will be spent leasing large, faster, fixed- wing airtankers from interstate. The money will help protect Queensland well into next year and will be triggered when the state is at risk of another large bushfire.
The airtankers can be quickly deployed across the country, in multiple states in one day. They are bigger than the existing firefighting aircraft in use.
It comes as Queensland’s fire season – from October to February – is becoming longer, with the latest fire storm ravaging the state for almost a week. Mr Morrison told the Bulletin last night that Queenslanders were showing their fighting spirit.
“Over the past few weeks, communities across Queensland have come together to fight bushfires, reminding us of our Australian values of looking after our mates,’’ Mr Morrison said.
“This funding will boost support to communities ... with more aerial capabilities to fight bushfires, new projects to support new emergency communication and fire prediction research.”
Under the plan, the Commonwealth will also lead a national approach to the deployments of the aircraft to ensure there is a coordinated response across the country.
Mr Morrison will also unveil new measures to help communities and fire authorities mitigate risk, plus ensure better systems are in place to alert residents of looming fire danger.
Almost $ 6 million will be spent on developing a new National Fire Danger Rating System, which predicts fires. The system is based on research from the 1960s and does not take in the latest research on fire science.