As the Southern Hemisphere summer gets underway, Australia’s Emergency Management Victoria (EMV) has added a number of firefighting aircraft to its fleet as this year’s fire season moves to its peak. Included in the capability revealed at Melbourne’s Avalon airport are a CH-47, a Super Puma, a Sikorsky S-64 and, new for this year, a UH-60. The UH-60 is configured to carry up to 4,000 litres of fire retardant per lift.

Ironically, this year’s Victorian summer has begun with heavy rains and flooding rather than widespread bushfires, with the EMV fleet tasked with over 1,800 flood-related sorties since October. Happily, the UH-60 is equally equipped to perform rescue as well as firefighting operations.

Commenting at Avalon, Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp said: “Victoria is well prepared to respond to all types of emergencies this summer. Our aviation fleet is strategically placed across the state, according to risk.”

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