Use Of Aircraft In Fire Fighting

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30366, 15 February 1964, Page 7

Use Of Aircraft In Fire Fighting

The possibility of using light aircraft in conjunction with ground forces to fight grass and plantation fires is being further investigated. Another trial was held in Canterbury this week under the auspices of the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council. A Piper Pawnee of Airwoirk (N.Z.), Ltd., was used. It carried in its superphosphate hopper a . canvas bag capable of holding 100 gallons of water. ; Watching the trial was the chief soil conservator of the council, Mr D. A. Campbell, who envisages the fleet of 70 or 80 similar aircraft throughout the country being equipped with a similar bag, able to be fitted in a matter of minutes, so that in an emergency they can be diverted to fight grass or forest fivesi He said that the Aviation Industry Association had about two years ago agreed to the charging of air and sea rescue rates for this service, which was really a rate to cover cost of flying plus a margin for a few contingencies. Mr Campbell and the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council have been interested in aerial fire-fighting for a number of years. He said that the council’s interest stemmed from fire being one of the- major contributors to soil erosion, and one of the first steps had been the construction of fire-break strips and the provision of firefighting equipment in some

catchment board areas under subsidy from the council. Then in 1955 the council approved the recommendation of its advisory committee on agricultural aviation to organise and finance exploratory trials. in aerial firefighting after the successful development of other aerial fanning techniques, also initially sponsored by the council. Mr Campbell said that subsequently major trials had been held to develop techniques. One of these was held in the Rangitata Gorge in September, 1957. After that the council decided on a field evaluation of the method, and Mr Campbell said this week that the stage had now been reached where it was felt that the aeroplane could be an ancillary arm in fire-fight-ing. This week’s trial was held in conjunction with the principal rural fire officer for the Selwyn group of counties, Mr E. A. Cooney. He described it as a dummy run to see how long it took to load the aircraft and to determine how the aircraft could best be used. Mr Campbell said it would also be in the nature of a calibration test to determine the best rate of drop for grass and tree fires and also to familiarise personnel with the whole procedure. He has been impressed by the explosive effect of water emitted from an aeroplane flying at 120 miles an hour at a low level. Mr Campbell Said it was believed that these aircraft would be able to deliver about 10 tons of water an hour, which was equivalent to their distribution of superphosphate. To extinguish a forest fire, he said, the Forest Service estimated that 20 points of rain was required, and on an acre this would be equivalent to the distribution of 20 tons of water. With 100 gallons of water on board, he said, the airctaft would be'carrying about half a ton a load. The scene of. this week’s trial was a parched, highly inflammable hair-grass covered paddock on the property of Mr J. G. Lili at Sandy Knolls. The Piper, piloted by by Mr S. L. Dodwell, with almost 32 years of flying experience behind him, operated

from a strip alongside a water race only a minute or two in flying time from the trial paddock marked with flagged posts. Because of the uneven surface of the strip, Mr. Dodwell was able to take on only half a load of water, and direct pumping from the water race loaded the aircraft in about three minutes. Mr Dodwell made several runs over the paddock both, downwind and into the wind. Each time as the hopper shutter was opened a cloud of water emerged behind the aircraft as it dropped from two socks protruding out of the canvas bag. The dry herbage was dampened over swathes about 11 to 12 yards wide and from five or six to 11 or 12 chains long as the pilot made a series of low runs over the paddock with the rate of discharge being varied. After one run the white grass could not be lit with a match, so effectively had it been dampened down. Mr Dodwell also did about three runs along a belt of pine trees. In his first run the misty cloud overtopped the trees altogether, but on his subsequent runs when he flew about two-thirds of a chain out from the belt to allow for drift the trees were bathed in a mist. After the trial Mr Campbell said it had been a fairly good familiarisation exercise for all concerned. Mr Cooney said that the method had a potential, but it now required to be tested under actual service conditions in conjunction with ground forces. For grass fires he thought that it would be most effective in stopping the head of a fire. How it would operate, in a plantation fire would probably depend on the actual fire conditions. Mr Campbell said that it would- be desirable to have radio contact between the fire control officer and the aircraft, but in the meantime it seemed that the most that could.probably be done would be to have radio contact between the strip and the fire officer at the site of the outbreak. Emphasising just how much importance is attached to aerial fire-fighting overseas,' Mr Campbell said that in 1962 aircraft, in the United States flew more hours in aerial fire-fighting than in aerial topdressing.