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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-11-18 Daily Xml
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BUSHFIRE PREVENTION

Ms SIMMONS (Morialta) (14:44): My question is to the Minister for Emergency Services. Can the minister please update the house on what the state government is doing to protect South Australians from bushfires due to the recent heatwave and higher than expected temperatures?

The Hon. M.J. WRIGHT (Lee—Minister for Police, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:44): I thank the member for her question and her ongoing interest in this area. I am pleased to announce that the state government has brought forward the commencement of a number of firefighting aircraft in response to the unprecedented hot and dry conditions that we are experiencing. This means that water bombing and surveillance aircraft are available for firefighting immediately.

The hot weather over the past week has accelerated the curing of vegetation and soil dryness, especially in the Adelaide Hills and interface areas. The decision to start operating aircraft earlier than usual is a response that is appropriate to the risks generated by this unseasonal weather. Since 2002, the Rann Labor government has significantly increased the state's aerial firefighting capabilities from just $831,000 under the previous Liberal government to $6.9 million this year. This is an eight-fold increase.

The CFS will have a total of 15 aircraft operating during this fire danger season. Of the 15, 10 have already commenced, eight of which have been brought forward by two weeks. The five remaining aircraft will be brought online as soon as possible, including the Erickson air-crane, which will begin service in mid-December.

The CFS also has access to the state's rescue helicopters for surveillance activities. Firefighting aircraft are incredibly useful in getting to a fire quickly and laying down fire suppression and providing support to fire crews. On high fire danger risk days, surveillance aircraft will fly circuits of bushfire prone areas, including the Mount Lofty Ranges, looking for smoke or illegal activity.

The state government has been partnering with communities and our emergency services to ensure that South Australia enters this fire season better prepared than ever before to protect lives and communities across the state. The last few days have told us that, for whatever reason, there are still too many South Australians under the impression that they are immune to any real threat and that a fire will magically deviate from their property.

The unseasonal weather, and today's declaration in two fire districts of a rating of catastrophic, should send a loud and clear message to those people who have not prepared, who do not have a bushfire survival plan in place, to do so without delay. With cool weather forecast for next week, I urge everyone in bushfire prone areas to get themselves, their family and their property ready for the threat of fire.

The state government is taking the necessary steps to preserve lives and property for the upcoming bushfire season, but this must be a whole of state effort, and we all need to work together to ensure that our state is as prepared as possible and is as safe as possible this fire season.

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