As of this morning, NSW has lost 2.7million hectares, a lot of European Countries aren't that big.
All OZ states are currently battleing fires.
The Fires are spotting Embers up to several Kilometers in front of the main fires, the wind speeds have been averaging between 50-80 kph.and constantly changing direction.
The wind generated at the fire front is making it very near impossible for low level water bombing, so far the lads at my local airport have been bombing non stop for a month, planes are being pulled from service for maintainance as they are exceeding their hours, a rapid turnaround of servicing has all other tasks on hold, but we are beginning to lose the odd plane and chopper, so the extra downtime means less water dropped, it in itself a scarce resource in this never ending drought.
As for using foam, mate we are still fighting the Government over the contamination to the land and waterways around Military bases caused be the bloody stuff.
If you have followed the fires in California, it's the same, just larger fronts and inhospitable terrain.