air tanker Archives - Page 11 of 61

Sheriff’s office releases report about Waldo Canyon Fire

Bill GabbertApril 19, 2013February 10, 2018Uncategorizedair tanker, Colorado, Colorado Springs, Kari Greer, MAFFS, Waldo Canyon Fire2 Comments

Vandenberg Hotshots on the Waldo Canyon Fire. Photo by Kari Greer

In Colorado the local sheriff is responsible for the suppression of wildfires in unincorporated areas, regardless of the amount of training and experience the elected official may have in the management of wildfires. Yesterday the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office released a 27-page report about the Waldo Canyon Fire that blackened over 18,000 acres, burned 347 homes, and killed two people when it spread into Colorado Springs June 26, 2012. We can add this report to the two already issued by the city of Colorado Springs, and hopefully, a report to be released some day by the U.S. Forest Service which initially had jurisdiction for the fire that started in the Pike National Forest just west of the city.

Even though the most serious impacts of the fire were in Colorado Springs, the city refused to delegate authority for the Incident Management Team to manage the fire within their city limits, and pretty much operated on their own as hundreds of homes in the Mountain Shadows area burned and two people were killed. The County Sheriff’s report referred to this in an indirect way, as seen below:

“In preparation for the arrival of the Type 1 Team, Delegations of Authority were received from all affected jurisdictions except one agency. ****Note**** Delegations of Authority in this context refer to documents that permit state and national resources to provide assistance in local jurisdictions. These documents do not diminish or relinquish the responsibility of local authority.”

Here are some key developments during the first five days of the fire:

Friday, June 22, 2012. The first smoke report was at 7:50 p.m. The U.S. Forest Service and several agencies responded, but did not locate the smoke. All of the firefighters were released at 9:48 p.m. by the USFS who had assumed command of the incident.

Saturday, June 23, 2012. The next morning at 6:58 a.m. the USFS was back on scene. At 7:30 a.m. there was another report of smoke in the area. At noon after several other reports of smoke, the fire was located. About 20 minutes later more firefighting resources were ordered including a single engine air tanker. This is the first indication of any aviation resources, helicopters or air tankers, being requested for the fire. Shortly after that the Colorado Springs Fire Department ordered the voluntary evacuation of several areas. That afternoon a Type 3 Incident Management Team assumed command of the fire and a Type 1 IMTeam was ordered. Mandatory evacuations for some areas began at 3:12 p.m.
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DC-10 air tanker to visit airports in Minnesota, South Dakota, and Montana

Bill GabbertApril 18, 2013April 22, 2013Uncategorizedair tanker, CV-580, DC-109 Comments

Tanker 911 dropping Poco Fire — Tanker 911 dropping on the Poco Fire in Arizona, June 15, 2012. Photo by Ian James.

UPDATED at 12:19 p.m. Monday, April 22, 2013:

The schedule for the visits of Air Tanker 910 to airports in Minnesota, South Dakota, and Montana described below has been revised due to snow at Rapid City — everything is being pushed by 24 hours. More details at Wildfire Today.

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One of the DC-10 Very Large Air Tankers will visit airports in Minnesota, South Dakota, and Montana next week. Air Tanker 910, owned by 10 Tanker Air Carrier, has been in Michigan undergoing heavy maintenance in recent weeks and will leave from there Monday morning, April 22 and head west. On their way home in southern California, their plans are to stop at four cities:

Brainerd, Minnesota, Monday morning;
Rapid City, South Dakota, early Monday afternoon;
Billings, Montana, Tuesday;
Missoula, Montana, Tuesday.

If a DC-10 reloaded at Rapid City it would have to be from a portable retardant base, since it is unlikely that the existing rather cramped Tanker Base could support such a large aircraft, and possibly the weight would be more than the ramp could handle. Rick Hatton, President of 10 Tanker Air Carrier, told us that if they worked out of Brainerd the aircraft would most likely drop water, rather than retardant. Finding a fire hydrant within reach of the three-inch diameter hose the aircraft carries can be easier than accessing a Tanker Base.

The DC-10 always carries 11,600 gallons of fire retardant, about six times more than the 50+ year old Korean War vintage P2V “legacy” air tankers that drop an average of 1,948 gallons according to a 2007-2009 air tanker study.

The U.S. Forest Service has awarded exclusive use contracts for seven P2Vs and one BAe-146 air tanker for 2013. The agency has not yet announced any awards from the solicitation for “next-generation” air tankers they issued 505 days ago. There are indications they will give contracts to 7 next-gen air tankers, bringing the total number of air tankers to 15 for this year. In 2002 there were 44 large air tankers on exclusive use federal contracts. The USFS has said they may again borrow, if needed and available, some old CV-580 air tankers from Canada for a few months that carry 2,000 gallons of fire retardant. The CV-580s were produced between 1947 and 1954.

USFS Chief: “We will have the resources we need”

Bill GabbertApril 16, 2013July 3, 2013Uncategorizedair tanker, CV-580, sequester, Tidwell4 Comments

Testifying Tuesday at a hearing of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Tom Tidwell, Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, assured the Senators that there would be an adequate number of firefighting resources available this year.

In spite of budget reductions that will cut 500 firefighters and up to 75 engines from his agency, Chief Tidwell said:

We will have the resources we need.

He said the Forest Service will rely on call-when-needed contracts for air tankers to fight wildfires, but said when they are activated they will cost “one-and-a-half to two-times” more than exclusive use contracts for air tankers that are on duty six days a week.

According to a March 22 report in the Durango Herald, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, in a letter written to Senator Mark Udall of Colorado, said contracts will be awarded “soon” for seven next-generation air tankers. Secretary Vilsack was responding to a letter Senator Udall sent to the Secretary in January requesting an update on the modernization of the federal air tanker fleet.

The U.S. Forest Service first issued a solicitation for next-generation air tankers 503 days ago but no contracts have been signed. They were almost awarded last summer but were held up by protests filed by two unsuccessful bidders. The solicitation was reissued in October of 2012 but no results have been announced.

During the second half of the western fire season last year, there were between 9 and 11 large air tankers on exclusive use contracts, down from 44 in 2002. If the USFS awards contracts for 7 next-generation air tankers, adding to the 9 Korean War vintage legacy air tankers, the agency may supplement the total with up to 8 old CV-580 air tankers if they are available from Canada and the state of Alaska. In addition, 8 military C-130s may be accessed if they are available and needed.

US Forest Service announces awards for legacy air tankers

Bill GabbertMarch 28, 2013Uncategorizedair tanker

On Wednesday the U.S. Forest Service announced awards for new contracts for “legacy” air tankers. The story is developing over on Fire Aviation.

Wildfire briefing, March 26, 2013

Bill GabbertMarch 26, 2013August 25, 2019Uncategorizedair tanker, Dude Fire

Update on air tanker contracting

Fire Aviation has an article published today summarizing the current state of air tanker contracting, or the lack thereof. There may be some new developments this week.

Wood shingles on Helena’s fire tower violate city ordinance

The wood shake shingles that the city installed on the roof of Helena’s iconic fire tower in 2011 violate the city’s ordinance against the use of exposed wooden roofing materials. The city Manager said they will fix it “ASAP”.

Wood roofs on National Park Service structures

The National Park Service should also be called to task for routinely using wood shake shingles when they replace roofs on historic buildings in fire prone environments — for example a visitor center in Devils Tower National Monument and an old ranger station in Jewel Cave National Monument. The NPS should fix it “ASAP”.

During the Jasper Fire in 2000 firefighters had a hellofatime keeping the old structure in Jewel Cave from burning. Three times they had to foam the structure and escape as the fire approached and burned around the log building with the wood roof. Just weeks before the fire the wood shingle roof had been replaced with — wood shingles. There are alternative roof materials that look very much like wood but are much more fire resistant.

The 2013 wildfire season

This time of the year some people like to make predictions about how busy the wildfire season will be. USA Today jumps into the fray, and has an interesting graphic. WyoFile also covered the topic.

Dude Fire video

The Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center has converted a video about the Dude Fire Staff Ride that was first released on VHS tape in October, 2000. It tells the story of how a fatal blow-up entrapped 11 firefighters and claimed six of their lives.

Wildfire training in Massachusetts

The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Bureau of Forest Fire Control hosted fire training for 64 firefighters last week on Cape Cod.

Cattle growers endorse bill to increase grazing on federal lands

Two cattle grower organizations are supporting a bill that was recently reintroduced in the House of Representatives. Titled the Catastrophic Wildfire Prevention Act of 2013 (H.R. 1345), it would streamline the process for approving livestock grazing and timber thinning.

Massive forest thinning project in Arizona

The goal of the Four Forests Restoration Initiative is to thin 1 million acres of ponderosa pine forests over 20 years, from the Grand Canyon to the New Mexico border. The project covers the Kaibab, Coconino, Apache, Sitgreaves, and Tonto national forests.

Nebraska legislature considers bill to enhance wildfire response

Bill GabbertMarch 25, 2013April 5, 2013Uncategorizedair tanker, legislation, Nebraska, Photo by Bill G

SEAT at Hot Springs — Single engine air tanker #466 at Hot Springs, SD, March 14, 2012. Photo by Bill Gabbert

UPDATE at 5:34 p.m. MT, April 5, 2013:

State Senator Jerry Johnson said the Governor is in favor of the bill.

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(Originally published on March 25, 2013)

The Nebraska legislature voted 36 to 0 on Monday to advance a bill to the second round of debate that would appropriate $1.7 million to improve the response to wildfires. LB634 directs that contracted single engine air tankers be stationed at Valentine and Chadron, one at each location, during the fire season. It would also provide for the thinning of forests, make more wildfire training available to volunteer firefighters, and develop a Type 3 incident management team.

The air tankers would be available through mutual aid agreements for fires that occur across the states lines in South Dakota, Colorado, and Wyoming.

Before the vote on Monday the bill was amended, adding the following: