helicopters – Wildfire Today

Turkish wildfires threaten historic sites, ancient city of Assos

Turkey’s General Directorate of Forestry is battling a much higher number of wildfires this year compared with 2023; at this time last year, the country had recorded 513 forest fires, 665 other fires, and nearly 1500 total acres burned. As recently as June 24, those numbers have grown to 1093 forest fires, 1029 other fires, and nearly 8300 acres burned.

Aljazeera reported that at least 11 people were killed and dozens hurt as wildfires burned through villages in southeastern Turkey. Health Minister Fahrettin Koca reported the deaths from the overnight blaze between the cities of Diyarbakir and Mardin on Friday. Seventy-eight people were injured, with at least five people in intensive care units.

The elevated fire activity has resulted in increased aerial firefighting. The directorate has deployed aircraft over 4600 times thus far to fight the 2024 fires, and pilots have dropped over 16,000 tons of water. The total is a far cry from last year’s numbers of just 1100 deployments and only 3500 tons of water dropped.

Turkey’s wildfire season has recently received national attention as a fire threatens the ancient city of Assos. The fire has burned 90 percent of the historic area, according to an Agence France-Presse report in the New Straits Times. The fire ripped through the ruins of the ancient port city of Assos, founded in the 8th century BCE near the Dardanelles Strait.

Ninety percent of the historical site of Assos was burned, said Mesut Bayram, mayor of Ayvacik district.

Assos, built on andesite rocks, is famous for its agora, theater, sarcophagi, and Athena Temple, according to Turkey Tour Organizer. “Also, this is where the world-famous thinker Aristotle founded a philosophy school.”

The fire was likely caused by a smoldering cigarette; xix helicopters, two planes, and around 35 engines are fighting the fire.

Photo of the week: twice!

Both of these spectacular shots were named “photo of the week” by the editor of Vertical Magazine. The only information or credits available is the caption here below each photo.

A Royal Navy Leonardo Helicopters AW101 Merlin Mk3. Tagged on Instagram by @rhys_martin_photography — Royal Navy Leonardo Helicopters AW101 Merlin Mk3. Tagged in June 2023 on Instagram by @rhys_martin_photography — ©2023 Rhys Martin

If you know the location or the name of the fire or the pilot, please use the “Contact Us” link at the top of the page — thanks!

Vertical Magazine has an outstanding “Photo of the Week” archives [HERE].

AW101 Merlin helicopters Leonardo S-64 Vertical Magazine

Hugh ‘Hurricane’ Carson moves on to the next place

Tailwinds and blue skies are toasted today in the direction of another longtime Fire Aviation personality, Hugh Carson, who was an Air Operations Branch Director and served as the BLM’s State Aviation Manager for Utah and Nevada. Carson, who died recently, was also the Aviation Training Developer for the BLM at NIFC, and was famous for ordering ping pong balls delivered in quantity to fire camps in the West.

Hugh Carson was possibly more famous for his personality than he was for his career oeuvre — the Interagency Helicopter Operations Guide (IHOG). In retirement he was also a popular DJ with KVNF Mountain Grown Public Radio out of Paonia, Colorado, and left countless music listening fans saddened by his loss.

https://fireaviation.com/2013/01/30/12-questions-for-hugh-carson

Bill Gabbert back in 2013 ran one of his series of “12 Questions” profiles on Carson, who was instrumental in developing the Interagency Airspace Coordination Guide [PDF] — working on a related project in 1999 was when I first ran onto Hugh, who explained to me why he was known as “Hurricane.”

He’ll surely be missed.

airspace helicopters Hugh Carson IHOG

PHOTOS: Air show on the Highland Fire

Fire photographer Ryan Grothe sent over some eye candy from the Highland Fire south of Palm Springs, California, which forced evacuations of over 4000 people earlier this week.

On Tuesday October 31, the second day of the fire, L-55 Travis Strahan — a USFS lead based in Redding — was working out of Santa Maria. Air Attack over the incident at the time of these drops was Tony Duprey, with a trainee up front in USFS Air Attack 12 out of San Bernardino.

“On Monday, the first day of the fire, we did not fly it,” says Duprey. “The Cal Fire ATGS out of Hemet (AA-310) and Ramona (AA_110) flew the Highland Fire that day. The jurisdiction is Cal Fire, Riverside Unit.” He added that Cal Fire S-2 tankerss from Hemet and Ramona, as well as fed contract airtankers, flew it on Monday, along with a Cal Fire lead and ASM C-5 — Charlie 5, an OV-10.

“The Highland Fire was started on October 30 around 12:30,” wrote Grothe. “Fueled by strong Santa Ana winds, the fire was moving at a dangerous rate of spread. Numerous structures and houses have been destroyed, and one firefighter was injured while fighting the fire. As of now, the fire is 20 percent contained. Crews have been fighting the fire from both the ground and air.”

Ryan Grothe
Instagram: Palomar_airportfire_photo

Retardant drops were critical to the quick containment of the October 30 Highland Fire in southern California. Photo ©2023 Ryan Grothe

Cal Fire estimated containment at 25 percent by mid-day today, November 2, and said the fire, now just under 2500 acres, may be fully contained by November 8. More than 1200 personnel were working on the fire today, and it was hoped that power could soon be restored to powerlines that were shut down along Highway 79.

THANKS FOR THE PHOTOS, RYAN GROTHE!

Erickson helicopters Highland Fire Neptune

Pilot, author, publisher: Patricia Osborn

General Aviation News recently reported that Montana pilot and author Patricia Osborn has published an aerial firefighting storybook for kids, The Fire Truck That Could Fly, illustrated by Eric Castleman. The children’s story follows a crew of firefighters aboard a Chinook helicopter as they combat a remote mountain forest fire.

Osborn is a Montana-based pilot who founded Huey’s Books with a mission to share stories that educate and inspire. A veteran-owned company, Huey’s Books publishes children’s books about military aviation.

“Our mission is to use children’s books to educate kids and adults about aviation and how military aircraft perform some amazing missions,” said Osborn.

Pilot and author Patricia Osborn — Patricia Osborn, the author and a veteran pilot, founded Huey’s Books with a mission to share engaging stories that educate and inspire.

Huey’s Books in August partnered with Sweetgrass Books to help with printing, distribution, and marketing. “With Sweetgrass Books’ help,” said Osborn, “we hope to be available in more stores and libraries.” The book isn’t yet listed on amazon, but stay tuned.

The Fire Truck That Could Fly is reportedly a tribute to the Army National Guard’s work stateside; the book is 8.5 x 8.5 inches, 32 pages in hardcover for $15.95. Eric Castleman’s work illustrates the work of the helicopter crew and the intensity of the wildfire, according to the publisher, and the book’s available in hardcover online at farcountrypress.com or from Sweetgrass Books.

Do let us know if you’ve read this or wish to submit a review.

books helicopters Montana pilot