RSCH.016.001.1136 - 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission

RSCH.016.001.1183
Bushfires 43
Western Highway. The NSW Rural Fire Service heralded the enormous break as one of the
great achievements of the firefighting campaign. Containment lines were cleared with both
manual equipment and bulldozers and bobcats. The fires had burnt out more than a fifth of
the Blue Mountains World Heritage area. A National Parks and Wildlife Service
spokeswoman said 122,000 hectares had been burnt out at the Blue Mountains National
Park alone. Another 28,000 hectares burned in the Nattai National Park, 65,000 hectares
from Wollemi, 630 hectares at Thirlmere, 7000 at Yengo National Park and 1151 hectares
at Kanangra Boyd. 116
Monday 7 January 2002
High temperatures and hot westerly winds again created fire storm conditions in parts of the
State. 1400 people were evacuated from South Coast towns and flames raced towards the
holiday hamlet of Mollymook. The evacuations were the largest number since last
Wednesday, when 5000 were moved out of the Blue Mountains. Commissioner Koperberg
was at a caravan park at Berrara, south of Sussex Inlet, when the fire front passed through.
He was reported as saying: "The sun was completely obliterated. Trees were at an angle of
about 18 degrees, the winds were around 90kmh and the fire was a storm of flames. It was
just incredible…Everything was only two colours: red and black…It was eerie, like being
in a snowstorm, the amount of debris flying around…We're standing at this caravan park,
spot fires all around us, like a scene from Mad Max or God knows what. Visibility was zip.
And out of the black clouds emerged these helicopters…It was like an apocalypse - that's
the best way to describe it." The Commissioner said the Erickson Air-Crane, accompanied
by three other water-bombing helicopters, worked in almost zero visibility "doing the most
incredible things". 117
While the first rain for a fortnight lowered or eliminated the threat in the Blue Mountains
and the Illawarra, firefighters in the Shoalhaven faced 75kmh winds that caused one light
plane to crash and the grounding of water-bombing aircraft. The 85 other fires still burning
throughout the State were not threatening property. 118
The two Erickson water-bombing helitankers ordered by the State Government from the
United States arrived. This time nicknamed “Georgia Peach” and “The Incredible Hulk”,
the helitankers were to relieve “Elvis” which was due to return to Victoria, and also relieve
some of the other 70 aircraft which had been participating in the firefighting efforts. The
State Government was leasing the aircraft from the US Erickson company for more than
$20,000 each a day. Commissioner Koperberg noted that the fire season was far from over
and the aircraft were needed. 119
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“Hopes pinned on giant forest-clearing effort” Sydney Morning Herald, 7 January 2002.
“Visions of Mad Max as fire boss gets a first-hand view of apocalypse” Sydney Morning
Herald, 9 January 2002.
“High winds spark new crisis” Sydney Morning Herald, 8 January 2002.
“Giant water bombers ready to hit front line” Sydney Morning Herald, 8 January 2002.