EMMA KELLY / PERTH
Inquiry will examine whether firefighting aircraft and other resources can be shared more effectively between states
The Australian government is reviewing aerial firefighting arrangements and considering sharing resources among states as part of a parliamentary inquiry launched last week into the bush fires that ravaged the country earlier this year.
State governments have traditionally been responsible for emergency services, but due to the extent of the fires in the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria, the federal government provided A$5.5 million ($3.3 million) to cover half the lease costs of three Erickson Aircrane heli-tankers to meet the need for a high-capacity firefighting helicopter. During the fires Australia leased Aircrane, Kaman K-Max, Bell UH-1 and Eurocopter BK117 helicopters from companies including Oregon, USA-based Erickson Aircrane and Superior Helicopters, and New Zealand's Helipro.
The House of Representatives Select Committee inquiry, which will report in November, will look at how firefighting resources were used during the crisis and examine the effectiveness of resource-sharing between agencies and jurisdictions. The inquiry follows calls for a national aerial firefighting approach, including pooling the country's aerial resources. Last year the government asked the Australasian Fire Authorities Council, which represents Australian firefighting agencies, to develop a national strategy, but instead, the government came up with a "A$29 million wishlist of equipment", which it expected the federal government to pay for.
Source: Flight International
