...............it's the same old story here with anything in life where damned if you do or damned if you don't..............how much "insurance" do we take to cover those events that are going to happen anyway regardless of our effects on an add hoc basis ?...........we could have zillions worth of equip sitting around 80% of the year awaiting their expertese "just in case" & then there's little guarentee that it will be effective enough at the end of the day, all we can really do is be prepared, as individuals & take/accept that risk to want to live in high fire risk places. The current resources we have at our disposal are most likely adequate for smallish bush fires but the level of fire activity that we are seeing now in the high plains of Vic would be ny impossible to act upon effectively without mother natures help via a down pour, 747 fire bombers and all, still I take my hat off to those that try with obviously not enough resources to reduce the loss of human life, stock & property.
...............life is all about risk, we as pilots know this & it's calculated to some degree but to the boys & girls out there risking it all................... be extra careful & God's speed to you all.
Capt Wally:-)