Should we worry about Australia’s aerial firefighting assets?

As fire seasons extend into the cooler months on both sides of the planet, Hannah Dowling questions what this means for our history of internationally-pooled resources and shared aircraft.

Australia has a long history of pooling vital and specialised firefighting resources domestically and globally. The vast and varied landscapes and weather systems within Australia alone often mean that equipment, personnel, and aircraft, can be passed across borders as the northwest corner of the country enters its wet season while the south and east prepare for drought. Similarly, long-standing arrangements with the US and Canada have persevered for decades, allowing each hemisphere access to highly specialised equipment and trained personnel during their respective peak fire seasons. However, as climate change continues to impact weather patterns worldwide, current trends suggest these arrangements could soon be compromised.