Author: Kelly Andersson

Q&A followup on the “new” airtanker contracts

The USFS has awarded five companies positions on a potential 10-year, $7.2 billion contract for airtanker support services. After we posted news on these “new” airtanker contracts awarded to five tanker contractors by the U.S. Forest Service, we received numerous questions (and had several ourselves) about these awards. Here is a partial Q&A with responses provided by Laura Rabon, a public affairs specialist in Albuquerque, the expert that NIFC referred us to.

So, these are 10-year contracts, one year with 9 option years?

- These are up to 10-year contracts with one base year and the ability to exercise nine one-year options after the initial base year.

Has the FS ever had a 10-year contract in Aviation or is this a first?

- Two previous airtanker contracts (Next Gen 1.0 and Next Gen 2.0) were 10 years. Both had a 5-year base with 5 option years.

Each contractor has a guaranteed minimum of $10 million; is that for the first base year or for the duration of the contract? 

- We guarantee a minimum payment of $10k (not 10 million) over the 10-year contract, not $10k each year. Typically, the vendors receive this minimum payment immediately upon activation of their aircraft.

Is there a maximum that the FS has specified for acquisition under the contract?

- The maximum amount that could be spent against the contract is $7.2 billion over the 10 years.

How do we get 5 contractors at $10 million each up to this estimate of $7.2 billion? How much is the difference and how is that estimated? (Note: We thought the $10,000K on the contract award document was $10 million. It’s not – it’s just $10K.)

- Vendors can get a minimum of $10k (not $10 million). $7.2 billion is the most we can order against this group of 5 contracts collectively. The vendors are not guaranteed anything beyond the $10k. However, to ensure the country has the flexibility to bring on the needed number of tankers now and in the future, it was decided to use the $7.2 billion as a maximum amount. This takes into the consideration estimated daily availability costs, flight time costs, a possible need for more aircraft in the future, as well as increased costs over the term of the contract.

So five contractors are on the awardee list, those who were technically acceptable. Were other companies candidates and were not awardees?

- Companies who submitted a bid and met all the technical requirements outlined in the solicitation were awarded a contract. Due to non-disclosure policies, we cannot release further information.

How long is estimated by the agency to identify the number of tankers procured (per contractor and in total) in any one year?

- Can you please clarify this question. Are you asking about length of time it will take us to know how many aircraft we have? Or how many tankers will be used under the new contract?

Both.

- Each year the Forest Service works with the tanker vendors to get a total number of aircraft that may be available that year. This year the Forest Service has 25 contracted tankers. Additionally, several states also have airtankers). This number may change year to year depending on what the companies are able to provide.
- We will be able to procure exclusive-use and call-when-needed aircraft under task orders on the contract. There is no limit to the number of aircraft we can use under contract; however, there is a limit to the amount we can spend, which is $7.2 billion over the 10 years. The contract itself has the flexibility to increase or decrease the number of aircraft. We also have the ability to reopen the solicitation to new vendors in the future.

If you have any questions in the future that are just related to the Forest Service Fire Management like this one please send the inquiry to our Press Desk at pressoffice@usda.gov.

airtanker contracts

Hawaiian Electric sees its first lawsuit

Shares of Hawaiian Electric fell more than 20 percent today after reports that the utility is considering restructuring as it faces numerous high-end lawsuits for its role in Maui’s disastrous wildfires. The company’s stock is down more than 73 percent thus far in 2023.

According to a CNN report, shares plummeted to 13-year lows on Monday after a class-action suit alleged that the Maui fires were caused by powerlines toppeled by strong winds. In a lawsuit strikingly similar to the Pacific Power class-action suit in Oregon, plaintiffs want the power company to bear financial responsibility for the deaths and destruction resulting from the utility’s failure to de-energize its powerlines despite ample warning by fire officials and weather experts about approaching extreme winds and related volatile dangers.

“The past days have been devastating for Maui and all of Hawaii,” said Shelee Kimura, president and CEO of Hawaiian Electric. “We have seen human loss and devastation on a scale that’s difficult for our hearts and minds to process. Maui lost homes and businesses, places of worship and cherished historic places. My heart breaks over and over, alongside all of Hawaii, for the people, communities and aina of Maui.”

She added that the restoration efforts now under way are personal to the utility’s employees. “Hawaiian Electric will continue to be here in full force with hundreds of dedicated employees and partners from Maui, Oahu, Hawaii Island, Molokai, Lanai, and beyond. We are focused on restoring power to support our communities’ work to recover and build back.”

The lawsuit alleges that Hawaiian Electric Industries “chose not to deenergize their powerlines during the High Wind Watch and Red Flag Warning conditions for Maui before the Lahaina Fire started,” despite knowing the risks of igniting a fire in those conditions. At least two other lawsuits have already been filed against the company for its role in the fires that killed at least 111 people on the island and destroyed the town of Lahaina. That number is expected to rise, with as many as 1,000 people still missing.

Fires in Oregon draw resources from California and evacuate residents

The Lookout Fire just north of McKenzie Bridge had burned 2,720 acres by Tuesday and was at zero percent containment. At an online briefing, Northwest Team 6 IC Tyson Albrecht said they are working with crews and aircraft to build line along a logging road. As of August 16, the fire was at 3,710 acres. KEZI-TV reported that the small mountain communities along the McKenzie River are struggling with more of the Lookout Fire’s smoke drifting across the region.

Lookout Fire at night August 13, inciweb photo

Smoke grounded aircraft yesterday and hotshots and structural strike teams from out of the area worked on protecting houses and powerlines. Doug Epperson with IMT 6 said they’re trying to keep the highway open for as long as possible.

“They started last night with some back burning that will continue today to remove fuels between where the fire is,” Epperson said. “We are doing everything so we can keep that highway open … our goal is to not have to close it.”

Around 400 personnel are working on the fire, with another 60 to 80 personnel joining each day.

smoke visible from Takatee Golf Course — Smoke visible from Tokatee Golf Course on August 13, inciweb photo

The fire grew quickly on Sunday, according to an OPB report, and prompted evacuations for residents north of Highway 126 near McKenzie Bridge.

There is a Red Cross shelter at Lowell High School; the IMT has scheduled a community meeting Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at McKenzie High School in Vida.

Also east of Eugene, the Bedrock Fire on Monday was shaded by heavy smoke, lowering temperatures slightly and moderating fire behavior. Helicopters on the Bedrock were also grounded.

The Bedrock Fire is at 26,154 acres with about 20 percent containment. Crews have been holding the fire within containment lines on the northern, eastern, and southern portions of the fire, which has nearly 1100 personnel assigned. The Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office has assigned 8 task forces for interface structural protection, and OSFM resources were joined by a California Office of Emergency Services (Cal-OES) task force yesterday. They’re doing surface prep, structure triage, and overnight patrols. Crews also worked on sprinkler installations and vegetation clearing on the HJ Andrews Experimental Forest compound.

Evacuation Centers: There is an evacuation center for people and small pets at Lowell High School for evacuees from both the Bedrock and Lookout fires. A large animal shelter is setting up at the Lane County Fairgrounds in Eugene.

There is a current Level 3 (GO!) evacuation ordered for:

- - - Taylor Road
    - North Bank Road
    - Areas north of Hwy 126 between Blue River Reservoir Road and Drury Lane
    - Mona Campground
    - Lookout Campground
    - HJ Andrews Experimental Forest headquarters

Firefighters are building line along the western edge of the fire, clearing and improving roads, and putting in dozer line. KPIC-TV reported that on Tuesday, firefighters were defending homes in Big Fall Creek.

sawyer on the Bedrock — Sawyer on the Bedrock Fire, inciweb photo

The fire started near Bedrock Campground on the Middle Fork Ranger District of the Willamette NF on July 22. Unusually dry fuels, steep slopes, and gusty winds contributed to rapid fire growth.

Northwest IMT 13 assumed management on July 25. On August 6, Northwest IMT 12 transitioned in, then on August 7 the IMT 12 also took over management of the Salmon Fire near Oakridge.

The IMT has scheduled a community meeting for the Bedrock and Salmon Fires tomorrow, August 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the Pleasant Hill School Community Center.

Night burn on the Bedrock — Firefighters on a tactical firing operation at night. Inciweb photo. They are watching for spot fires across the fireline.

The Salmon Fire is just 135 acres and about 80 percent contained. Firefighters are patrolling the perimeter and the incident’s recently shown minimal fire behavior. Resources include 3 engines, 1 crew, 1 watertender, and aircraft shared from the Bedrock Fire.

UPDATE — ROAD CLOSURE: Meanwhile, part of Hwy 199 south of Cave Junction is closed; CALTRANS has closed U.S. 199 at the Oregon-California border.

Hwy 199 closure south of Cave Junction. Check for updates at tripcheck.com

According to Oregon DOT, the closure is in response to wildfire activity in the area, and the estimated duration of the closure is unknown. No local detours are available.

The Head Fire on the Klamath National Forest is one of a couple dozen in the area recently ignited by lightning. “This has been a fire that has moved extremely quickly,” Forest Supervisor Rachel Smith told The Associated Press. “Just in a matter of a couple of minutes yesterday afternoon the fire grew from just 50 acres to nearly 1,500 acres.”

Direction Impacted: Both Comments: Lone Mountain Rd is CLOSED to all but local traffic from US 199 to the California border because of a wildfire in the area. Do not use Lone Mountain Rd as a detour for the US 199 closure.
Agency: Josephine County Public Contact: Brent Atkinson (503) 986-3977

Bedrock Lookout OES Oregon OSFM

Has the smoke made you forgetful?

Particulate matter (PM) is a chemical composition of smoke, including sulfates, carbon, nitrates, or mineral dusts. It stems from vehicle and industrial emissions and other fossil fuel burning, and researchers are now increasingly examining wildfires and the effects of longterm exposure to wildfire smoke that affect respiratory illnesses and other impacts to human health.

A subset of PM — fine particulate matter (PM2.5) — is especially dangerous to human health because it’s 30 times thinner than a human hair and can not only lodge in lung tissue but also cross into the brain after it’s inhaled.

Scientists from the University of Michigan have identified a link between agriculture and wildfire PM2.5 emissions and the onset of dementia among 27,857 adult Americans, with data drawn from the national Health and Retirement Study. Pollution estimates were based on the locations of the participants, who were older than 50 and did not have dementia at the outset. About 15 percent of the study participants developed dementia, but the rate of cognitive decline was significantly greater in the areas of high PM2.5 concentration between 1998 and 2016.

This joins a growing body of evidence forming a significant link between the microscopic toxins and dementia. The research was published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.

THANKS and a tip of the hardhat to Jay for this info.

health smoke

$7.2 billion contract award for airtanker services

The Forest Service has awarded five companies positions on a potential 10-year, $7.2 billion contract for airtanker support services.

GovConWire reported today that the Airtanker Services 2023 multiple-award indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity contract has a 1-year base period and 9 option years. Each awardee has a guaranteed minimum under the contract, according to the award notice published August 11 — the solicitation for this contract was dated February 11, 2023.

According to that solicitation notice, contractors provide all necessary resources to deliver airtanker services, including supplying multi-engine turbine-powered aircraft. The federal government will supply the fuel through the Defense Logistics Agency’s AIR Card program.

“The contractor shall provide a second means of paying for fuel during instances when the DLA card is not accepted,” said the solicitation notice. “The contractor will be reimbursed for fuel purchases made for revenue flights on the contractor’s card.”

The awardees are:

airtanker contract

Maui: worst fire disaster in the U.S. in over a century

The New York Times reported today that fatalities resulting from the Maui fires have surpassed that of the 2018 Camp Fire in Paradise, California, and now mark the deadliest wildfire since the 1918 Cloquet inferno in Minnesota killed hundreds of people.

The island’s fatality count has already hit 93, according to an AP report earlier today, and both locals and experts are pleading with tourists from the U.S. mainland and elsewhere to cancel vacation plans and spare locals and emergency responders the drain on scarce resources. Hotels and other lodging options on Maui are scrambling to shelter evahttps://youtu.be/OlV6sObu_Y0cuees and the suddenly homeless; well over 45,000 residents and visitors have departed Kahului Airport in West Maui since Wednesday.

Mayor Richard Bissen recorded a public message, and the Maui County website is loaded with additional resources. A Family Assistance Center is open at Kahului Community Center at 275 Uhu Street.

The Maui Emergency Management Agency can help in locating unaccounted-for family members. People trying to locate loved ones also can call the American Red Cross at 800-733-2767.

“The collective resources and attention of the federal, state, and county government, the West Maui community, and the travel industry must be focused on the recovery of residents who were forced to evacuate their homes and businesses,” announced the Hawaii Tourism Authority today. Visitors are encouraged to change plans and travel to Hawaii’s other islands.

Gov. Josh Green said 500 hotels rooms will be set aside for evacuated locals, and the state is working with AirBNB to make more rentals available for locals. Another 500 hotel rooms will be reserved for FEMA employees; no word on whether interagency IMTs from the U.S. will be able to camp in tents as usual.

Recovery crews with cadaver dogs have covered just under 5 percent of the fires’ search area thus far, according to Maui Police Chief John Pelletier. “We’ve got an area that we have to contain that is at least 5 square miles, and it is full of our loved ones,” he said. He asked residents with missing loved ones to provide DNA samples at a county resource center.

Hawaii News Now reported that Gov. Green said this will certainly be the worst natural disaster Hawaii has ever faced. “I hurt to imagine the fear that went through people when a fire — really a hurricane and a fire — came through all at once,” he said. Their news conference is available online: youtube.com/watch?v=zm_xx5peLJQ

Hawaii Maui

Opinion: Maui fire shows that Hawaii paradise was a dream

Naka Nathaniel is an opinion columnist for Honolulu Civil Beat.

In Hawai’i this summer, we would glance at the news from the rest of the country and be grateful that we weren’t suffering under the extreme weather — heat domes, deluges or smoke-filled skies — that other parts of the world were experiencing. We remained sheltered in our corner of paradise.

But “paradise” was a marketing ploy, never the truth nor a guarantee.

Today, Hawai’i is reeling and in shock. The rising death toll — currently standing at 55 — from wildfires that are raging across Maui, is simply soul-crushing.

This opinion piece on CNN by Naka Nathaniel is well worth reading.

Maui fires

Maui burns

Maui County officials closed all roads to public use in the town of Lahaina as wildfires on the Hawaiian island burned out of control, driven by high winds that the Associated Press said gusted over 60 mph. Hurricane Dora has passed to the south of the islands at a distance of nearly 500 miles, but extreme conditions and violent winds across the islands resulted in numerous power outages late Tuesday; firefighters struggled to reach areas cut off by downed trees and powerlines.

The National Weather Service said Hurricane Dora’s winds knocked out power and grounded firefighting helicopters.

West Maui is closed off to all traffic, according to a CNN report from Maui County. Only emergency personnel are allowed access to that part of the island.

The BBC reported that some residents were forced to jump into the ocean ahead of racing flames; the Coast Guard said at least a dozen people were rescued from the water. Local media reported “apocalyptic scenes” in the historic town of Lahaina, parts of which were destroyed or severely damaged. The Lahaina fire is one of at least seven now burning in the state.

A local CBS affiliate reported that dozens of homes and businesses were destroyed on the western part of the island of Maui, the second largest and third most populated island in the state. HawaiiNewsNow reported that witnesses described apocalyptic scenes Tuesday. Residents say an overwhelmed fire force, fighting flames all day in powerful winds, could do little as flames ripped through Lahaina.

Videos from the island show the historic town’s main street and local businesses burning. “Buildings on both sides were engulfed,” local business owner Alan Dickar told CBS.

“Hawaii National Guardsmen have been activated and are currently on Maui assisting Maui Police Department at traffic control points,” said Maj. Gen. Kenneth Hara, Hawaii’s adjutant general. The overnight deployment was hastened by the dynamic fire conditions, and additional National Guard personnel are expected to arrive in Maui and Hawaii counties later Wednesday, Hara said.

Lt. Governor Sylvia Luke, who is acting while Gov. Josh Green is traveling out of state, issued an emergency proclamation Tuesday that activated the Guard. Updated road closures and other emergency notices are posted on the County of Maui facebook page.

Hawaii hurricane Maui

Close calls and injuries in Texas

A 215-acre wildfire in San Jacinto County was contained on August 2 according to a report by ABC-13 News. That afternoon, resources were requested from Texas A&M Forest Service (TAMFS) on the Snowhill Fire. Shortly after 1 p.m. crews on the fire reported moderate to high fire behavior with several structures threatened, evacuations under way, and road closures in place.

The agency also reported that two of its firefighters suffered burn injuries when fire behavior intensified at about 5 p.m.

The agency’s 24-hour report noted that fire behavior intensified on a part of the fire where a dozer crew was working. The two injured firefighters were not wearing PPE properly and both experienced first- and second-degree burns to the face, hands, and sides.

The two firefighters were transported to a hospital and both were treated and released.

Two days later the agency released its 72-hour report on an aircraft incident in Travis County.

On August 1 at about 10:30 p.m. an air tactical aircraft working a different fire was involved in an incident at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport — about 5 miles southeast of downtown Austin — after flying the Powder Keg Pine Fire near Bastrop, about 150 miles southwest of Lake Livingston near the location of the Snowhill Fire.

TAMFS resources were requested on August 1 on the Powder Keg Pine Fire in Bastrop County. Numerous aircraft were dispatched, including the Air Attack Platform at the Gillespie County Airport in Fredericksburg. The aircraft is a King Air C90A turboprop registered to Safford Aviation Service in Coolidge, Arizona (which had not yet replied to a request for comment when this was posted).

At about 8:40 p.m. the aircraft was released from the fire and made a 30-minute flight back to the Gillespie County Airport. On approach, though, the pilot and ATGS reported an issue with landing gear indicators; just two of the three indicated that the landing gear was down and locked. The pilot and ATGS attempted to fix the issue manually, and at about 9:30 p.m. they reported they had two hours of fuel left and intended to fly to Austin-Bergstrom, an FAA-controlled airport, where they’d do fly-bys so the control tower could see whether the landing gear was actually down. After two fly-bys, the tower told them it appeared to be down, and they approached for landing.

Upon landing the aircraft, though, the right landing gear collapsed, and the right propeller blades contacted the concrete and were damaged. The right gear appeared to have collapsed back into the aircraft gear hold, according to the report.

Neither the pilot nor the ATGS was injured and no civilians were injured. Both the pilot and ATGS were in constant radio communication with TAMFS dispatch in College Station, and the aircraft was tracked using the real-time map-based Automated Flight Following (AFF) system. The NTSB will investigate.

Spectrum News reported that Texas A&M Forest Service, the state’s lead agency for wildfire response, on Monday raised the state’s preparedness level to 4 — its second-highest level. The agency said over the past seven days it has responded to 80 wildfires burning 8,521 acres, with 41 fires since Friday.

The forecast for this week calls for more triple-digit temperatures with few chances for rain, and 164 Texas counties are now under burn bans.

air attack PPE TAMFS Texas

TWO POINTS

THIS IS a temporary post,
in the aftermath of numerous fatalities on fires this season,
and considering the comments posted publicly on both sites and the piles of emails I’m getting privately from readers,
and I’d really like for all of our readers to review these two posts,
both written by Bill Gabbert and fully endorsed today by me.

https://wildfiretoday.com/2018/05/24/examples-of-catastrophic-changes-on-wildland-fires-that-led-to-changes/

— AND —

https://wildfiretoday.com/2009/02/13/comments-we-love-comments-but-here-are-the-rules/

Thank you.
~ Kelly Andersson

PLAYING FOR CHANGE