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MHR-90 Taipan helicopter. Photo: Defence.
An Australian Army helicopter on reconnaissance operations is likely to be responsible for starting the out of control Orroral Valley bushfire in the Namadgi National Park.
The MRH-90 Taipan helicopter was clearing landing zones that would be used to drop in strike teams in case of a fire. But when the aircraft landed at around 1 pm yesterday (Monday, 27 January), it’s believed the landing light created enough heat to set the grass on fire.
There were six people on board at the time of the incident, and all of them escaped uninjured after the fire began to spread quickly, Chief of Joint Operations, Lieutenant General Greg Bilton said at an ESA press conference this evening.
“We had been placing people over the last four or five days into the Namadgi forest to clear landing zones to enable emergency services to place strike teams into that area to deal with fires,” he said.
“The fire was initiated and grew rapidly. The aircraft sustained some damage on the ground, and then was able to recover back to Fairbairn.
“We are undertaking an investigation to determine the exact causes, but at this stage, we feel that the heat source from the light is the most likely cause.”
The lights are used as a safety precaution when the helicopter is flying in difficult circumstances, such as a very smoky environment. The Taipain is classified as a utility helicopter and can carry up to 12 people.
Lieutenant General Bilton says that the helicopter will continue to assist the ESA, but procedures have been changed to ensure this does not happen again.
“We will change our standard operating procedures not to utilise those lights, we acknowledge the safety aspect but it is important that we are able to continue operations in support of the emergency services,” he said.
“Since that time we have continued to use helicopters to provide fire spotting and fire mapping.”
ESA Commissioner Georgeina Whelan addressing the media ahead of Lieutenant General Bilton (right). Photo: Dominic Giannini.
The Australian Defence Force will continue to provide support to the ACT to help manage and contain this bushfire, Minister for Emergency Services Mick Gentleman said.
“Whilst the appliance was on the ground, this is the first time a fire has been caused by a helicopter landing light and Defence has taken action immediately to reduce the likelihood of this event reoccurring,” Minister Gentleman said.
“This includes not using certain aircraft during extreme weather conditions.
“We have had Defence at ESA since the State of Alert was declared early in January.
“Defence is continuing to work closing with the ESA to provide assets and personnel to help contain this bushfire.”
The ADF has been tasked to help construct containment lines, and have provided staff to assist in air-based operations, engineering support, evacuation support, logistic planning and air intelligence and surveillance, ESA Commissioner Georgeina Whelan said.
Original Article published by Dominic Giannini on The RiotACT.
Is the defence force going to pay insurance excesses for people that have suffered fire damage and had to pay as result of the defence forces negligence?
Really landing lights
The good news for Canberra this morning is that on the app it seems to have moved south over night.
Praying for a safe outcome went through bad bushfires here in Batemans Bay and all of east coast
Awkward!
if the chopper crew saw it start you’d think somehow it would have been extinguished before it got away??? I hope all are safe up there tonight
Jenny Drenkhahn not possible, put it out with what. I was brigade training officer, Research on a grassland fire starting in the wring conditions e.g. by a tractor slasher etc is that you have 11seconds to stop the tractor, get hold of fire extinguisher, and extinguish it before it’s runaway
frightening Danielle ;
How could landing lights cause this? Surely a major design fault… recall them and fix this. That is a bizarre and dangerous situation
Lynn McColl they are incandescent globes which always run hot. The big commercial airline manufacturers are changing over to LED lighting which has no heat, but it will take awhile to retrofit to military aircraft.
Anthony James Widdowson thank you for explaining this. The sooner they’re done the better I’d say…🙂
Lynn McColl Helicopter lights are very high intensity, the search lights etc get very hot, when I served we kept well away, tall grass under the belly would easily ignite
Rick Withapee must be an interesting dichotomy when attending and fighting fires…🤔🙂
Lynn McColl a little alien to army pilots, they own their aircraft lol
Rick Withapee really! I imagined they were owned by the ADF
Lynn McColl they are but the pilots think.they own them, most people don’t know that helicopters are extremely hazardous to bystanders etc, we spent hours training to avoid such
Rick Withapee oh….I get you now… one well known Australian golfer knows how hazardous they are…
Rick Withapee Jack Newton… happened in the 80s… except I’m wrong, it was a Cessna…I just fact checked myself…😅
Rick Withapee great Australian golfer…lost an arm and an eye..
Rick Withapee good point…🤔😅
Omg , band together ppl, atm, times are tough. Our emergency services, and neighbouring countries are helping the best they can. Farm machinary causes fires all of the time. We are lucky to have our firies, emergency services and, allies, to help us stay safe. Reality check???
What a cloud of smoke. I went to see A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood at Tuggeranong. At 4.30 the sky was black.
Ohh this is just horrific if true…and of course by no means a thing that would have even been thought of at the time 🙁 Lesson learned the hard way 🙁
Doing our best in tough conditions.
Hell! Can’t imagine how they are feeling if the story is accurate 😢
Live & learning in life we are only human
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