When five fires merge to create a monstrous inferno bigger than metropolitan Sydney there is no way resourcing can match the task at hand, and the RFS says it must expand its thinking.
"This is all relatively new, but based on smaller files we just need to expand our thinking to a degree," he said.
The RFS maintains they are up to the challenge and extensive consultation, smart rostering and forward planning are paramount. But put simply, there is no chance firefighting resources can match the scale of this fire, and to do so every firefighter in the state would have to be deployed to the area.The sheer magnitude of this fire does not dramatically alter the type of firefighting techniques used.
"It's no different if it's one hectare or 260,000 hectares when it comes to strategies," Mr O'Keefe said.Crews can only get 30 to 60 metres away from a truck, so the impact is minimal. "Then you need another truck, and another, and another. And with so many fires, the demand for trucks can't be met," he said.
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