Chopper company answers the call

Water-bombing by the team at Mi Helicopters helped save parts of Carnarvon National Park from fire.

TEAM EFFORT: Danny Boulton, pilot with Mi Helicopters, said firefighting at Carnarvon Gorge took a well-organised team of professionals. Picture: Jorja McDonnell

BUSHFIRES in Carnarvon National Park caused destruction to the tourist spot, which is still in the process of re-opening, but it was the local community that had a hand in saving the area, working alongside the Rural Fire Service and park rangers.

The Mi Helicopters crew was part of that community, and was called up to lend a hand on November 28, when fires burned dangerously close to hiking trails and the local art gallery.

While fire-fighting isn't always part of the crew's day-to-day operations, pilot Danny Boulton says it is something they have long been involved with when the RFS needs a crew.

"Once we start to get a bit of heat in the days and the hot winds start to blow, we start to prep ourselves and get ready.

"We're always on standby in those conditions.

"We saw the fires that were happening in Carnarvon with info from the QRFS, so we had a bit of a heads-up on what was happening in the area and could prepare for it,” he said.

Mi Helicopters' Bell 206 Longranger was ready and available on the day of the fires, and a whole crew was sent to help at Carnarvon, Mr Boulton said.

"We were lucky to have the machine available so we could try and get up there to help out.

"When the phone rang our crew was airborne and on our way up, an hour-and- a-half later we got to the fire and it was on.

"Fires were creeping in to where the Takkarakka Bush Lodge is, so our job was to react and do what we could in the minute.

"Waterbombing was the majority of the work we did up there, with members of the team on hand to refuel,” he said.

With the area re-opening to the public, the Carnarvon Gorge Discovery Centre released a statement last week, and thanked the team for its assistance.

"The community is so grateful to all those involved in fighting the recent fires.

"We'd like to tip our hats to Mi Helicopters out of Roma in particular, for saving the art gallery board walk,” the statement said.

The park is continuing to recover and open to the public, with the Rock Pool, Mickey Creek, and access into Warrumbah Gorge all open, along with the visitor area and main gorge walking track.