Days after the Lexton fire broke out, night aerial firebombing has been launched in Victoria.
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Speaking at the Ballarat airport in front of aircraft that will be based here and in Mangalore, Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp said following last year's trial, the aim was to expand the program and study the results.
"What we want to do this year is take it to the next level so where we want to get to with these helicopters is first attack," he said.
"This summer, we will be doing some further training in relation to what that looks like."
Last year, night firebombers were only deployed at fires where reconnaissance flights during the day could be conducted - first attack means operating without that.
Crews showed off some of the gear they'll be using, including cutting-edge night-vision goggles, and infrared cameras used to guide waterbombers.
The helicopters work in teams, with the aerial tanker picking up and dropping water while being guided by a supervising helicopter.
Coulson crews, with some members all the way from Canada, will be based in Ballarat for the next few months, with night flights beginning tomorrow.
An S-61 skycrane will work with an S-76 supervisor helicopter out of the airport.
"As we know, we already have going fires in the state, (and) from tomorrow night, these helicopters, these crew, will be flying on fires across the state," Commissioner Crisp said.
"We'll also be doing some work in relation to designating certain areas of the state where a safety assessment will have been conducted - if a fire is to then start in that particular area, we'll be confident the helicopters can then work on that fire potentially in a first attack capability."
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