FED: Incredible Hulk calls Canberra home for summer

AAP General News (Australia)
12-13-2007
FED: Incredible Hulk calls Canberra home for summer

CANBERRA, Dec 13 AAP - One of the helitankers famed for fighting bushfires around Australia
in the past five years will be based in Canberra during the bushfire season.

The Erickson S-64 Air-Crane known as The Incredible Hulk arrived in the national capital
from Sydney this week for operations in the ACT, southern NSW and beyond.

The aircraft is one of four US-sourced helitankers leased for the bushfire season by
the National Aerial Firefighting Centre, a corporation owned by the federal, state and
territory governments.

The helitankers can carry up to 9,500 litres of water and refill in less than 30 seconds
and have played a critical role in fighting bushfires in southeastern Australia.

Two medium lift helicopters are also based in Canberra. The Incredible Hulk may be
relocated to another part of the country if required.

ACT Emergency Service Minister Simon Corbell warned residents against complacency over
Canberra's recent cool, wet conditions.

"Even though the weather's a bit deceptive, we are anticipating a hot, dry season again
this year," Mr Corbell told reporters in Canberra.

"We've already seen some very serious fires in South Australia and we could very well
see serious fires here in the ACT and surrounding NSW.

"While the technology is great and it makes an enormous difference on the ground for
our firefighters, it's also very important to remind that they still need to take steps
to prepare their own homes for bushfire."

Devastating fires struck the ACT in 2003 killing four people and destroying more than 500 homes.

Federal Attorney-General Robert McClelland said the ACT government deserves credit
for improving its bushfire response following that disaster.

"After the tragedy of a few years ago they have really driven the agenda to look at
those events and how to improve and indeed bring all states and territories together to
respond," Mr McClelland told reporters.

"Canberrans and (people in the) surrounds can feel a little more relaxed or a little
more secure in these capabilities ... but vigilance is the order of the day."

AAP pw/sb/cjh/mn

KEYWORD: BUSHFIRES ACT (PIX AVAILABLE)

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