Scrub fire requires Air attack

[Chris Donaldson]

You may have seen/heard on the news on Thursday last week Dunedin encountered a large scrub fire just some 200 metres up a bank from the Logan Park High School (luckily it's school holidays).

I ducked into my house and grabbed my camera & drove to the site. Well when I got there it was well a blaze, and choppers buzzing around overhead with "Monsun Buckets" dousing the flames. There were 3 Bell Jetrangers & 2 BK117s (ZK-HJK & HUP).

The Lion Foundation Chopper is in my opinion the best looking Helicopter in New Zealand, don't you agree

Here's a few snaps I took - nothing special just quick shots. Hat's off to all the emergency crews, especially Graham Gale & his crew from Otago Helicopters who spent a good 7 hours flying back 'n' forth filling up their monsun buckets, and also to the chopper pilot from Te Anau who was required overnight for night vision work to douse the flames.

[squirrel350]

Absolutely beautiful I couldnt agree with you more ZK-HUP is a fine piece of machinery.

[ardypilot]

Excellent action shots Chris, particually the third one!

Are you ever going to upload your Dunedin Planespotting collection (with the RNZAF air trainers)?

[ronindanbo]

I used to be an officer in a Bushfire Force and the BK117 were a nightmare to work with, they had way too much down wash and would flare the fire up all the time not to mention they were bloody aweful to try and fill the monsoon with.