Australia's disaster preparedness chief has brushed off calls for the Commonwealth to purchase its own fleet of firefighting aircraft, insisting the nation is prepared for the coming summer.

As climate change results in longer and more intense fire seasons around the globe, emergency management experts say Australia risks being deprived aircraft - such as firebombers or helicopters - used to put out fires in the northern hemisphere winter.

Joe Buffone, acting coordinator-general of the National Emergency Management Agency, has rejected calls for the Commonwealth to acquire its own fleet of fire-fighting aircraft.

While developing a sovereign aerial firefighting capability was a key recommendation of a royal commission after the devastating Black Summer bushfires of 2019/20, Australia wa

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