Air tankers moved to Western Australia

C-130Q and RJ-85.
C-130Q (top) and RJ-85 in Australia. Photo by Country Fire Authority.

The two large air tankers from North America that are under contract to the Victorian government during Australia’s 2014/2015 bushfire season have been relocated to Western Australia where two large fires are burning. One fire is about 150 kilometers (93 miles) south of Perth and the other is about 300 kilometers (186 miles) south of the city. The two aircraft, Coulson’s C-130Q and Aero-Flite’s RJ-85, are working out of RAAF Base Pearce (YPEA) northeast of Perth (map).

Thursday evening, MST time, the two air tankers filed flight plans to depart and land at YPEA, scheduled to land four hours after taking off.

Two Sikorsky S64E Air-Crane helicopters are also being  moved to Western Australia.

Wildfire Today has more information about the fires.

bushfires map western australia
Satellite photo showing smoke from two fires in Western Australia, imaged at 4:30 a.m. MST (10:30 a.m. UTC; 6:30 p.m. Australia Western Time) on February 5, 2015. (click to enlarge)

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