The Department of Fire and Emergency Services has declared that the addition of two Large Air Tankers (LATs) will significantly strengthen the State’s fire-fighting capability as the Department prepares for a busy bushfire season.
A C130 Hercules LAT will remain in Western Australia for the high threat fire season, while a Commonwealth-funded LAT, a Boeing 737 Fireliner, will arrive later this month
Both LATs, which have the capacity to carry more than 15,000 litres of fire suppressant, will be based at Busselton-Margaret River Airport in the South-West.
The aircraft will be a major addition to WA’s aerial fleet, a key component of the State’s fire-fighting arsenal.
The aerial fleet comprises 36 rotary and fixed-wing suppression and aerial intelligence aircraft and for the second consecutive year will feature two Black Hawk helicopters that can hold up to 4,500 litres of water or suppressant.
Minister for Emergency Services, Stephen Dawson said Western Australia was the largest emergency management jurisdiction in the Southern Hemisphere and having two LATs exclusively for the State over the high-risk bushfire season would provide a major boost to its fire-fighting capability.
“According to all the latest weather information we are facing a very challenging bushfire season,” Mr Dawson said.
“As the Emergency Services Minister, I welcome all the fire-fighting firepower that we can muster to be totally prepared for any major fires that we face,” he said.
“The LATs are well suited to the WA environment due to their greater endurance and fast cruising speeds, and are a welcome addition to our aerial fleet this summer.”
Commissioner for Emergency Services, Darren Klemm said LATs were effective at building containment lines to stop the spread of bushfires and would help fire-fighters on the ground to protect lives and properties.
“Each day during the summer bushfire season there will be more than 30 aircraft on standby in Western Australia, ready to be called upon in an emergency,” Commissioner Klemm said.
