The DFES’ Bell 214s were the most prolific air asset used in the 2023-24 fire season, dropping 10.2 million litres of water in 830 hours of flying. Photo: DFES
The Western Australia Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) aerial firefighting fleet has completed its longest and busiest season yet, dropping more than 17 million litres of water and retardant on firegrounds over a longer than normal seven months of bushfire season. In a normal season, high-risk bushfire conditions are expected between December and March, but this year, DFES aircraft were tasked with fires from October, and missions continued until May.
The DFES operates a fleet of 36 fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft with its helicopters a mixture of Bell 214s and UH-60s. Bell 214s were the most prolific aircraft, often seen flying over fires in and around Perth and WA’s South-West. They flew for 830 hours and dropped more than 10.2 million litres of water, while the bigger UH-60s flew for 265 hours and dropped almost 5.9 million litres. Together with fixed-wing assets, the unit flew a cumulative 2,300 hours carrying out 7,025 drops on 208 separate fires, almost double the drops in the 2022-23 season.
Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm AFSM said aircraft were deployed from Karratha to Esperance and were a critical component of the State’s firefighting efforts. “Firefighting aircraft supported our crews on the ground for around seven months, a record for Western Australia, which reflects the increased risk of large, complex bushfires that can put the community at risk,” Commissioner Klemm said, “The southern bushfire season was longer and more intense than we have experienced in recent years with volunteer and career firefighters responding to 5,088 bushfires between October 2023 and May 2024 – 1,000 more bushfires compared with the same period last season. “The aerial fleet was integral to our bushfire response, helping to protect lives and property, often in challenging terrain and during extreme fire conditions.”
