CAL FIRE Chief Joe Tyler back in July said he was concerned about California’s heightened wildfire risk set up by the abundance of fuels from winter and spring rains; he compared this season to the critical fire season of 2017. ActionNewsNow reported that Tom Bahr, Chico’s airport manager, said that Chico Regional Airport was one of 14 designated airtanker bases statewide for aerial firefighting, and it has indeed been busy.

The airport this year played a role in heavy air attack operations, extending its reach as far north as the Oregon border, and hosting several contracted airtankers including Coulson’s 737 Fireliner and Erickson Aero Tanker’s MD-87 tanker.

Overseeing the air attack base at Chico Regional Airport, CAL FIRE Battalion Chief Shem Hawkins says the location is strategically important; CAL FIRE aircraft can reach the most remote State Responsibility Area (SRA) fires within approximately 20 minutes, with the goal of keeping 95 percent of fires at 10 acres or under.

At the northern end of the airport, the Chico Air Attack Base hosted a CH-47 Chinook, operated by Billings Flying Service under contract, which assisted ground crews throughout the summer.

Chico Fire Chief Steve Standridge commended the partnership between the Chico Fire Department and CAL FIRE Butte. He noted the economic benefits to the local area from the air attack base, along with immediate access to CAL FIRE air resources for fires in interface areas. In return, the Chico Fire Department provided firefighting support to CAL FIRE, the USFS, and military air assets at the airport during the fire season.

Built in 1969, Chico Air Attack Base (CAAB) is home to an OV-10A air attack and an S2T airtanker. The S2T can carry 1,200 gallons of retardant and provides fast, aggressive initial attack. The OV-10A is a command-and-control aircraft, coordinating the S2T with other aircraft from other airtanker bases.

Any airtanker landing at Chico can load with retardant in one of three drive-through pits, and within minutes depart with a fresh load. CAAB can supply 100,000 gallons of retardant per day, and because of its long runway, can also service and support most of the large airtankers currently in use. It’s not uncommon to see as many as seven tankers moving through the pits at Chico.

Personnel assigned to the base include one battalion chief, two fire captains, one fire apparatus engineer, seven firefighters, two contract pilots, and one contract aircraft mechanic. For more info on the base, check out their county page or this video by KRCR-TV.