NSW bushfires: International pilots help fight state inferno
The Rural Fire Service has called on pilots from around the world to put together a special team to water bomb the blaze burning through Grose Valley. MEET THE FLYING HEROES HERE.
NSW
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They come from around the globe but this special taskforce of pilots has a common enemy — bushfires.
National Parks and Wildlife NSW helicopter pilot Brendon Lindsay was among the first called up when the Rural Fire Service assembled its air attack team. He is now flying alongside pilots from Canada, the US and interstate to help waterbomb the Gospers Mountain blaze.
Despite their different backgrounds, each agreed they have never seen fire conditions like this. “I’ve been fighting fires since 2012, I haven’t seen fire at a magnitude that it is now,” Mr Lindsay said.
Co-pilot Ryan Gould has flown in from Calgary, Canada to fight the Gospers Mountain blaze. “I’ve been coming down for 10 years for the fire season,” Mr Gould said. “This is the worst season I have seen so far. Just flying over the bush the trees look more drought-stressed … you can see the bush hurting for water.”
Air Base manager Daniel Diaz arrived last week from California to manage the specialist team. “Everybody’s been saying they haven’t seen anything like this before,” he said.