Grant Johnson our flying firefighter

Grant tackling a fire near Fitzgeralds Mount not far from Bathurst. Photo copyright Western Advocate.

Forests NSW helicopter pilot Grant Johnson is in vanguard when it comes to fighting fire.

“The helicopter can take pressure off ground crews by knocking over a small fire very quickly and efficiently before it becomes a big fire,” Grant said.

“It is able to reach a fire in a rugged area very quickly while ground crews can be hours away.

“However, you will always need someone on the ground to make sure the fire is properly contained.

“Using a chopper may be expensive but there is a lot of plantation and native forest we would no longer have if we didn’t use one,” he said.

There is a quiet air of confidence and calm about Grant. When you fly with him you feel safe and with good reason. He has flown helicopters for 30 years and fought fires from the air for most of that time without an accident.

A youthful, fit 58, he has worked in numerous jobs from mustering cattle and agricultural spraying to instructing and running his own flying school.

Grant joined Forests NSW in 1995 and can recall a number of Christmas days when he has been away from home fighting fires. Based in Sydney at Bankstown, he travels depending upon the fire season, starting in the north at Casino and Grafton, and moving down the state as the fire season progresses.

Needless to say, Grant can’t take holidays in the summer. When he does take leave it is not to escape the demands of his job.

“I don’t find it stressful at all. I might’ve when I was younger. I’ve done it for so long now, I’ve just gotten used to it. There are no real surprises,” Grant said.

“You’ve got to be very careful and use your common sense.

“Smoke is dangerous as it reduces visibility and makes flying very hazardous.

“Helicopters are designed to fly low for specific work, so with that comes the danger of power lines. Wherever there are houses or buildings, there are power  lines. So you have to keep a very watchful eye.

“A lot of wedge-tailed eagles turn up at fires as the heat flushes animals out of the burn area. An eagle can bring you down if it hits the windscreen or the  tail rotor.

“You also have to be watchful of other aircraft. In a Section 44 (declared bushfire emergency) you get a lot of aircraft on a fire and it gets very busy. I’ve worked with up to eight other helicopters on a fire.

“Fires are usually windy and it is bloody hot in the aircraft. Most don’t have air-con,” he said.

While not fighting fire, Grant fills his year with such things as hazard reduction burns and forest health checks. Or on the home front, he relaxes on his power boat – just fishing and cruising.

He obviously loves his work, is devoted to saving the forests, and has no plans to retire yet.

“A farmer rang me the other day to thank me for helping save his property near Bathurst two or three days before Christmas. That was nice,” he said with a modest smile.

Plan of attack

When the office calls in a smoke sighting from a tower, which is usually cross-referenced from another tower, the fire room dispatches a forester to help Grant locate the fire and refill the water bucket.

“You have to find a convenient dam or water source close to the fire. When you choose the water you have to take a good look because some dams have pump houses and, with them, comes power lines,” Grant said.

“It is no good having the source of water too far away from the fire. It must be as close as possible so you have a good turnaround on the fire.

“I put the forester down and then the water bucket and load the foam into the container,” he said.

Grant carries nearly a tonne of water and nearly always uses foam, which helps smother the fire with lots of bubbles.

“The foam container holds about 40 litres of a substance like a very strong detergent, which is good for about 30 trips.

“You need fuel and foam transported out to the helicopter. You go through a lot of fuel,” Grant said.