The timely response of the Jamaica Defence Force Airwing averted what could have been yet another serious fire in the Skyline Ridge area of Jacks Hill Sunday evening.

An airwing crew was returning from a mission when it saw flames on the ground, threatening some wooden shacks. The crew then responded by going back to camp and retrieving the Bambai Bucket apparatus – which is a water collecting mechanism ideally suited for use as a fire suppressant. Water was sourced from the Mona dam.

Fires are common in the Jacks Hill/Skyline Ridge at this time of year when a combination of dry weather and strong winds serve to fan the flames.

Just recently, several posh homes in the area were in danger of being burnt when a major bush fire destroying several acres of vegetation.

The inadequacies of the fire services were recently brought to public attention during the debate on the supplementary estimates when it the was argued that an extra $667 million was needed to adequately fund the service.

(Photo: Bryan Cummings)