Microsoft Flight Simulator Adds Firefighting Mission in Australia

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024's new World Update 21: Australia includes a mission to honor the New South Wales Rural Fire Service (RFS) by simulating aerial firefighting in the region.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 has introduced World Update 21: Australia, featuring additional cities, airports, and numerous new points of interest. The update pays tribute to the New South Wales Rural Fire Service (RFS), the world's largest fire service with almost 70,000 volunteers. Given the persistent threat of bushfires in the country, the RFS plays a crucial role. The devastating fires in Australia during 2019/2020, which garnered global attention, resulted in millions of acres being scorched, over 30 human fatalities, and more than 1.5 billion animals perishing due to the blazes.

Aerial firefighting is a vital technique employed by firefighters in Australia, and this is where Microsoft Flight Simulator comes into play. The game's latest update includes a mission where players engage in water-bombing to extinguish a fire in New South Wales, the home of Sydney. Players will operate a specialized aircraft, releasing a substantial amount of water onto the fire to aid in its suppression. The mission tasks players with flying to a body of water near Coffs Harbour, scooping up water, and then flying to the fire to assist in extinguishing it.