Fire Bombing

[Strider]

One of our forum regulars (not naming any names) has made the news. Scary stuff!

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-0 ... er/6456258

[Strider]

Gah. Stupid auto correct screwed with the thread title. Should be FIRE bombing!

[GPSGuided]

Crikey! That's a lucky escape. Almost like being bombed in a war zone.

[icefest]

I hope she's OK and gets some answers.

[north-north-west]

Ahhhh, it's gone to air has it. Please tell me I don't look too indescribably old and ugly on screen.

Parks are being pretty good about it, actually. Making all the right noises privately, anyway. It's just that their internal investigation and review process is being dragged out - probably so people can get their *&^%$#@! covered - and I won't have a solid answer for another week at least, and probably more.

This went public mainly so people are aware of the potential dangers. Check where burning off is supposed to occur and don't trust the website to be entirely accurate on either location or date. (It says Holloway and Lily on the 4th May. This was Edith and well east of Holloway on the 29th April. After they did a bit between Mt Balfour & the Temma track on the 28th.) And make sure you have an escape plan just in case.
Oh, and a foolproof way to attract the flight crew's attention. I still can't believe that they didn't see me. I did everything short of a pole dance to get their attention.

Crikey! That's a lucky escape. Almost like being bombed in a war zone.

A bit of an exaggeration, but more or less what it felt like at the time. Can't recall a time on a walk when I've been so scared for so long. With the right gear you can cope with weather, but there's no protection against fire.

[Nuts]

Crikey!

[neilmny]

NNW I'm sure I'm not the only one to be *&%$#! glad you got out of that one ok and I for one will happily tell you, you don't [quoting yourself] look too indescribably ugly on screen.
Bushwalk.com just wouldn't be the same if you hadn't got out of it.

[GPSGuided]

I guessed it might have been you NNW. So glad that you managed to escape and are staying cool. I trust that what you've raised will do good for PWS and potentially save lives.

[north-north-west]

I guessed it might have been you NNW. So glad that you managed to escape and are staying cool. I trust that what you've raised will do good for PWS and potentially save lives.

That's the idea.

[Travis22]

Wow! Sorry to hear you went through that NNW. I couldnt imagine what you went through, absolutely horrible.

I hope Parks dont try to coverup the incident and changes are made so something like this doesnt happen again.

Travis.

[Overlandman]

Hey NNW Thank god your okay
Rescued by Helicopter
Fire bombed by Helicopter
Things happen in three's
You had better stay in doors

I thought you would have used the new PLB?
Regards Overlandman

[north-north-west]

thought you would have used the new PLB?

Didn't arrive until two days after I drove off. Was sitting at the local PO when this happened.

And, frankly, I don't think it would have helped. There wasn't anywhere I could have stopped long enough to set it off and wait for an evac. Trying to get myself out was the only option once the chopper left.

Rescued by Helicopter
Fire bombed by Helicopter
Things happen in three's

I'm not far from Qantas's flight path for Llanherne. The *&%$#! will probably crash into my house.

btw, if you want a good laugh go to the story on the ABCs facebook page. There are some hilarious comments there.

[Tortoise]

Mate, soooo glad you made it out in one piece.

You have a brilliant capacity to think clearly and act purposefully when many would panic. Thanks for putting yourself out there to make it safer for the rest of us. I tip me 'at to you.

[stepbystep]

You have a brilliant capacity to think clearly and act purposefully when many would panic. Thanks for putting yourself out there to make it safer for the rest of us. I tip me 'at to you.

Yep. Well said.

[DanShell]

Mate, soooo glad you made it out in one piece.

You have a brilliant capacity to think clearly and act purposefully when many would panic. Thanks for putting yourself out there to make it safer for the rest of us. I tip me 'at to you.

I agree

[north-north-west]

Mate, soooo glad you made it out in one piece.

You have a brilliant capacity to think clearly and act purposefully when many would panic. Thanks for putting yourself out there to make it safer for the rest of us. I tip me 'at to you.

Not brilliance. Pure survival instinct. I'm still too middle-aged to die. Besides, I can't shuffle off this mortal coil until I've been back into the Western Arthurs and - even more importantly - knocked off the Franklands. And the Denisons. And the New Harbour Range. And . . . hell, I haven't even done Tower Hill yet . . .

But thanks for the well-wishes everyone.

[doogs]

I may be very wrong but perhaps Parks were thinking along these lines
* I think you look nothing like a witch.

[cajun]

Mate, soooo glad you made it out in one piece.

You have a brilliant capacity to think clearly and act purposefully when many would panic. Thanks for putting yourself out there to make it safer for the rest of us. I tip me 'at to you.

Not brilliance. Pure survival instinct. I'm still too middle-aged to die. Besides, I can't shuffle off this mortal coil until I've been back into the Western Arthurs and - even more importantly - knocked off the Franklands. And the Denisons. And the New Harbour Range. And . . . hell, I haven't even done Tower Hill yet . . .

But thanks for the well-wishes everyone.

Brilliance or instinct? Bit of both I'd reckon. - all that matters is that you survived. Kudos to you to have the fortitude to confront the authorities - making it safer for all in the future. Many others wouldn't have been so "instinctual" nor concerned (pissed?).

I love your bucket list - go get em NNW.

[north-north-west]

doogs:


No, I don't dress right. Although I wonder if a big pointy hat like that (bright red, of course) might have made me more visible to the chopper crew?

[GBW]

It sounds like you had a lucky escape NNW. Not a situation I'd like to find myself in. Other than wave your hat, did you consider any other means of signaling (camera flash, mirror, etc) or was there no time? Thinking about it, most of my gear is pretty dark in color but I do carry a large bright orange S2S pack liner which I thought could come in handy for this type of scenario.

[GPSGuided]

In a separate thread on the same subject, there were discussions on the benefits of activation a PLB for the situation. The comments were,

Cons:
- Won't work as the distressed is moving (running) and not at a fixed location.

Pros:
- Distress frequency could get picked up by the helicopter crew on their second COM set, hence may interrupt their activity.

Not sure how the PLB system is programmed to handle movements. Given similar are used in aircrafts/boats, I'd think it's not critical to stay at a single location. SAR centre would probably receive a series of location that follows the track of the caller which would still be useful.

[Strider]

It sounds like you had a lucky escape NNW. Not a situation I'd like to find myself in. Other than wave your hat, did you consider any other means of signaling (camera flash, mirror, etc) or was there no time? Thinking about it, most of my gear is pretty dark in color but I do carry a large bright orange S2S pack liner which I thought could come in handy for this type of scenario.

Emergency blankets (the silver Mylar type) would be good for this too.

[JohnStrider]

Incredible story. Glad you're ok, NNW.

[Mountain Rocket]

Scary stuff! Had an inkling it might be you NNW when I read the story.
Quick and smart thinking to get out of there safely.

Will be interesting to see what Parks come up with after their 'review'.

[GPSGuided]

Emergency blankets (the silver Mylar type) would be good for this too.

Under the circumstance, it could have gone up in a flash.

[north-north-west]

If I'd had my dSLR I would have used the flash to try to attract the chopper crew's attention. At the time I was cursing the fact it wasn't there 'cause it carked it at the end of the Oakleigh/Preoteus/Pelion West walk and the only camera I had was a grotty old iPhone 3S. Hence the really crappy video. Didn't have amirror (yes, I know, but I'm allergic to mirrors, especially when out bush). Did try to see if the phone would work, but there wasn't enough sunlight getting through at that point.

edit: Actually, I wear an Iridium coated wrist cuff. Highly reflective. It was on the wrist waving the beanie. If there was enough sunlight it would have caught it and just about blinded anyone looking that way.

[Lophophaps]

Brava. A combination of clear thinking and luck led to a good if very scary result. I reckon if they are going to fire at us we can fire back. I've ordered a powdered version of one of these, just add water.
.

RPG.jpg (6.35 KiB) Viewed 18659 times

[Eremophila]

Can only echo the above sentiments, NNW. Good on you for making this public knowledge, will be interested to hear the response in due course.

I shudder to think how easily the outcome could've been different.

Looks like my $10 Korjo "emergency blanket", aka giant bright orange plastic bag, will be keeping its place in the gear list.

[tastrax]

I still can't believe that they didn't see me. I did everything short of a pole dance to get their attention.

Having been on the other end of this situation (in a chopper looking for people) I can assure you it is extremely difficult, even if you are slowly following a track and have an idea that people should be there. Something as big as a tent fly waving in the breeze might get their attention.

In this case, if they were actually lighting, they wouldn't be looking around. The operators mind was probably on making sure the incendiary machine was working as required and not malfunctioning. They need to be ready to possibly ditch parts of the machine if there are failures (rather than turn the helicopter into a fire bomb). The pilot would have just been flying the machine on a preplanned course.

If it was me in your situation, I would have started dropping my own matches to create a safe area - pretty quick smart! Had they have seen you I have no doubt they would have done everything in their power to get you out of there.

PS - I have been away for a few days so this is my first knowledge of this event.

[north-north-west]

I still can't believe that they didn't see me. I did everything short of a pole dance to get their attention.

Having been on the other end of this situation (in a chopper looking for people) I can assure you it is extremely difficult, even if you are slowly following a track and have an idea that people should be there. Something as big as a tent fly waving in the breeze might get their attention.

Hmmmm, that's a good point. I had the Nallo. which is bright red. Maybe I should have pulled it out and started waving it.

In this case, if they were actually lighting, they wouldn't be looking around. The operators mind was probably on making sure the incendiary machine was working as required and not malfunctioning. They need to be ready to possibly ditch parts of the machine if there are failures (rather than turn the helicopter into a fire bomb). The pilot would have just been flying the machine on a preplanned course.

Thanks. I've been wondering about the inflight procedures. That makes sense.

If it was me in your situation, I would have started dropping my own matches to create a safe area - pretty quick smart! Had they have seen you I have no doubt they would have done everything in their power to get you out of there.

I didn't think of that but at the time even if I had thought of it I doubt I would have been comfortable doing so. I don't trust fires in the bush. And there was enough burning going on without my adding to it.
At one point early on I passed over a rock slab - maybe ten by fifteen feet. I seriously considered staying there but the smoke was far too thick for comfort.