We use many different methods to contain and put out bushfires. It’s a combined effort, with firefighters on the ground putting water on the flames and creating fire breaks using hand tools (rakes and hoes), heavy machinery, and backburning, and the use of aircraft to apply water and firefighting chemicals to the fire and nearby vegetation. The method of firefighting depends on the intensity of the fire.  

Fire trucks

A yellow Rural Fire Service tanker parked on a field.

The Rural Fire Service Queensland has specially designed fire trucks and tankers (called appliances) that are designed to help firefighters put out bushfires. These trucks carry water, pumps, and firefighting tools such as hoses, rakes, drip torches, fire extinguishers, first aid supplies, and firefighting wetting agent.  

  • A light attack appliance carries approximately 500 litres of water and five people.  
  • A medium attack appliance carries approximately 2,500 litres of water and six people.  
  • A heavy attack appliance carries up to 3,500 litres of water and four people.  

These appliances are designed to provide lighting, communication and transportation for personnel to the fireground as well as water pumping from the on-board tank or an external water supply.

The tankers are used to transport additional water to the fireground and carry up to 12,000 litres of water. 

Aircraft

The Large Air Tanker in the process of waterbombing.

In large bushfires, we use aircraft including helicopters and aeroplanes to drop water onto the fire. This is called water bombing. It allows us to drop large quantities of water and can be used in places where firefighters cannot access the fire such as inaccessible forests and national parks where there are no access roads.  

QFD lease aircraft from experienced and qualified Australian aircraft providers managed by the National Aerial Firefighting Centre (NAFC).  

The largest aeroplane used is called the Large Air Tanker (LAT). It is a Boeing 737 funded by the Australian Government. There are six LATs positioned around Australia. They can carry up to 15,000 litres of water or retardant and can be filled in 10 minutes.  

Find out more about our aircraft. 

Water

The water for water bombing is collected from dams, lakes, rivers, or portable tanks.  

Sometimes the water used in firefighting contains special chemicals that help make the water “wetter” to more effectively put out the fire. 

Aircraft can also use a fire retardant – a special chemical designed to stop the spread of fire. These chemicals are environmentally safe, however if water bombing has been used in your area, you should thoroughly clean roofs and guttering that is used to collect drinking water. 

Backburning

A Rural Fire Service volunteer stands with their back to the camera holding a drip torch and lighting vegetation.

Backburning is a firefighting technique where sections of land are burnt ahead of the bushfire. The aim is to create a fire break where there is no fuel (vegetation) in the path of the fire. Because these small fires are intended to ‘burn back’ to the fire front, this process is known as ‘backburning’. It can also be used to protect houses or other infrastructure. 

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