Boeing 737 water bomber targets Yorketown fire on Yorke Peninsula
A monster Boeing 737 water bomber has dropped more than 15,000 litres of fire retardant on a raging Yorke Peninsula blaze as it burns out of control.
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A monster Boeing 737 water bomber dropped more than 15,000 litres of fire retardant on a raging Yorke Peninsula blaze on Thursday.
The aircraft, capable of carrying 15,150 litres of retardant and 72 passengers, left New South Wales and targeted the Yorketown fire about 10.25am on Thursday.
Fire retardant has been dropped to the north of Yorktown, in the hope of stopping the blaze from reaching Coobowie and covered a 600m to 800m area.
More than 10 properties have been damaged and 33 have minor injuries from the blaze as it threatens the western end of small town Edithburgh, on the southeast corner of Yorke Peninsula, about 50km west of Adelaide across Gulf St Vincent.
In May, the NSW Government struck a deal with United States-based Coulson Aviation to buy three aircraft for firebombing emergencies, including the modified Boeing 737 large air tanker.
At the time, Coulson Aviation said the 737 Fireliner is the largest water bomber ever purchased by a country.
The NSW Rural Fire Service was supported by the aircraft last year.
RFS acting commissioner Rob Rogers said a review found the aircraft one of the best offensive weapons against bushfires.
“This type of aircraft provides us with a fast, effective and flexible option for fighting fires year-round, and supporting firefighters on the ground,” he said.
On the ground, Yorke Peninsula electrician Richie Tape, 53, said the blaze came within 100m of Edithburgh homes on Thursday morning.
He said access between Edithburgh and Coobowie, his hometown about 5km north of the fire, had been closed.
“The fire is basically burning around the western end of (Edithburgh) now,” he said.
“Heading that way is firetrucks, water bombers have started up again and also, I don’t know how many farmers have gone through with water tankers. Just dozens upon dozens.
“But the wind is starting to pick up again, it’s pushing back towards Coobowie.”
Mr Tape said Coobowie residents, expecting to be hit by the blaze, are seeking refuge near the ocean.
“People have packed their cars and they’re in all the parking bays. They’re parked on clifftops and in parking bays overlooking the water,” he said.
Edithburgh local Peter Bartram saw large plumes of smoke and a glow in the distance about 6am.
“I thought, ‘oh s***, I’m getting out of here,” he said.
“So I grabbed my wife, the dog, some things and drove straight down to the pool.”
The 73-year-old watched water bombers getting control of the blaze around 8am.
“The fire didn’t get into town but it got very, very close to the southwest of the town,” he said.
He said he woke up about 1.30am with local temperatures at 35.5C with little wind but three hours later the gusts had picked up.
