Eyes in the skies

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Both helicopters are always prepped ready to respond and can be in the air within about 15 minutes to respond to a fire call.

“But if we’re here at the airport, then it could be just five minutes,” Mr Picoto said.

Both machines have the capacity to carry “a bucket” with 600-700 litres of water to assist with fire fighting.

They fill up “pretty much anywhere we can find water - dams, creeks, lakes and pools if we have to, any suitable water source”.

Mr Picoto explained they generally don’t take off with the bucket on as it speed limits them with the drag but instead will return to collect the bucket and fill it as needed.

“We generally have an RFS member on board who maps the fire and makes a plan.

“We can set them down and if needed go back and collect the bucket.”

Mr Picoto helped the RFS out at the fire last week near Mt Hope, which he said was about 50 minutes flying time.

“We have a fuel truck here and that went down to Mt Hope. Any time you can get a fuel asset close by makes a really big difference to the response because otherwise you lose a lot of time coming back to get fuel.

“It’s really important in these remote areas to have access to mobile fuel,” Mr Mulcahy said.

The helicopters have a flying time of about two and a half hours. “That’s a pretty standard time, travelling at 110 knots, so kilometre wise that’s about 500-600km,” Mr Picoto explained.

RFS Far West Team District Officer Greg Martin said it was very important that local landholders are prepared with their own equipment for fire fighting.

“We encourage them to ensure their pumps and equipment are regularly serviced and checked to be in good working order, that their water tanks are filled and that they carry out slashing around their homes, outbuildings, sheds and other assets,” he warned.

“We recently saw two hay shed fires in the Euabalong area, that both started on the same day.

“Both had been impacted by floods and the bottom bales started to self combust as they dried out.”