2019 New Years Eve

On December 31st 2019, Firebird 200 and the Airview Fire Recon team started the day mapping and covering the Tumut fire in the south of New South Wales. The Tumut fire started from a dry lightning strike on December 27th and would ultimately burn until February 24th 2020 and consume 334,000 hectares of farm land and national forest.

Around midday we received instructions to leave the Tumit Fire and track for the New South Wales south coast towns of Moruya and Batemans Bay. As we made our way toward the coast, smoke haze increased and visibility continued to deteriorate until we were virtually in a stationary hover as we descended from the highlands escarpment. With use of our mid wave infrared camera (MWIR) and some very skilful flying on the part of our pilot, we eventually made it onto the Batemans Bay fire ground. 

Firebird 200 in action

We flew into what can only be described as a disaster zone. Whole townships were gone, isolated communities were huddling together on the beaches, all escape routes were blocked. Much of the local telecommunications network was not functioning or had been destroyed rendering us unable to send live data to state headquarters in Sydney.

Since the fires had started in the northern part of the state in Aug 2019 and slowly been spreading and igniting further and further south as the season wound on, the RFS was stretched to it’s limit and resources were running scarce. To adapt to the smoke-laden and communication-blind environment we were faced with, our team changed roles on the fly, utilising our thermal camera to help guide aerial and ground based water bombing onto precision targets of dwellings and properties that were under immediate threat. 

Firebird 200 with an Army Blackhawk coming in to land behind

We continued aiding the firefight until last light when we had to return to base. The team flew a total of 10.2 hours for the day and helped save numerous homes throughout the region. Bring on 2020!