A PROPOSAL to store fire retardant at one of the region’s airports has received a lukewarm response, particularly if Orange Regional Airport is the chosen location.
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During discussions about the Mount Canobolas bushfire at Tuesday night’s Orange City Council meeting, mayor Reg Kidd said the large DC-10 aircraft should not need to reload at the Richmond RAAF base.
“If we’ve got an airport at Parkes, one at Bathurst, Dubbo and Orange that have been built specifically to take jets with a payload, why couldn’t they look at storing retardants here?” he said.
“When you have fires in central NSW, it would have to be easier.”
Cr Kidd said even though the flight to Richmond was only about 25 minutes, weather could change and air traffic closer to Sydney was more congested.
Firefighting chemicals were raised as a concern when industrial development was proposed around the airport.
Spring Hill and Surrounding Districts Consultative Committee president Anne Salter said group acknowledged the importance of protecting life and property through all available means, but strict conditions were needed.
“Which includes having immediate access to products and equipment for bushfire emergencies,” she said.
“But of course as the Orange Airport is located in the basalt groundwater aquifer recharge area and feeds surface water flow into the drinking water [catchment], we would strongly caution not only the storage, but the use of fire retardants and suppressants at the location.”
According to the Rural Fire Service, if retardant enters a water tank, the water should not be drunk.