At least two large air tankers (LATs) will be based at Avalon Airport over the approaching summer, part of the largest aerial fire fighting fleet ever assembled in Victoria.
With experts forecasting one of the most dangerous seasons since the infamous ‘Black Summer’ of 2019/20, emergency authorities in Victoria have ordered a total of 51 fixed and rotary wing aircraft to be on standby by the time the warmer weather hits.
Up to 100 additional private aircraft across the country could also be called into action should Australia find itself in a similar situation to that of early 2020, when ferocious blazes in the state’s east saw areas from Gippsland to Geelong and all the way to the South Australian border covered in a smoky haze.
In addition to the standard fleet,Victoria will also have access to enhanced night-time fire fighting capabilities through the use of a specialist Super Puma helicopter.
Emergency Management Victoria said there would be a mix of firebombing, reconnaisance and intelligence gathering aircraft located strategically across the state.
An additional LAT could be available for loan from Queensland later in the season.
LATs fly low over the most dangerous of fires, dropping a special mix of water and retardant.
In addition, Avalon traditionally hosts a smaller twin-engine fixed-wing aircraft that deploys at the first sign of fire, sending information back to ground controllers to assist the LATs.
