Vic: Giant water bomber arrives to fight fires

AAP General News (Australia)
12-14-2009
Vic: Giant water bomber arrives to fight fires

MELBOURNE, Dec 14 AAP - Victoria has boosted its fire fighting arsenal with the arrival
of Australia's largest water bombing aircraft.

The DC-10-30 aircraft arrived at Avalon airport west of Melbourne on Monday and will
be ready for deployment in early January.

The reconfigured passenger plane can hold about 45,000 litres of water, about eight
times more than other fire fighting aircraft.

"We have been working with the Country Fire Authority since September to bring a large
aerial fire fighting aircraft to Victoria for the first time to help protect lives and
properties," Victoria Premier John Brumby told reporters on Monday afternoon.

Fire fighting aircraft are one of our key weapons against bushfires.

"They can drop large amounts of water, suppressant foam and fire retardants to help
control fires in hard to reach locations."

Victoria will conduct the first Australian trial of the DC-10-30.

AAP cmb/vam/cjb

KEYWORD: BUSHFIRES VIC PLANE

2009 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.