WASHINGTON (PRWEB) June 22, 2018 -- Aerial firefighters are quickly deploying assets over a wide area of the US, as ongoing dry conditions continue to spark numerous wildland fires--mostly throughout the western third of the country.
As in years past, the fire season got an early start, with a total of 48 wildfires now burning on 203,508 acres, as of June 12, according to the US Forest Service (USFS). The largest of the currently uncontained fires are the Buzzard Fire in New Mexico’s Gila National Forest, at over 44,000 acres, and the 416 Fire near Durango in southwestern Colorado, with more than 27,000 acres burned to date.
“We have been very active this year, and I see a very busy fire season ahead—at least on par with those over the past few years,” said Josh Beckham, General Manager of Helimax Aviation in Sacramento, California.
Two of the company’s CH47D Chinook helicopters have been on USFS exclusive use contracts since April and May. One is fighting the Emery Gap Fire out of Taos, New Mexico, while the other is on standby in Sierra Vista, Arizona. The helicopters are equipped with 2,600 gallon capacity Bambi buckets, and each is supported with a staff of six including two pilots. “Those two aircraft have had a lot of activity this season, and we expect that within the next two weeks, two additional CH47D helicopters will be activated under USFS and CALFIRE call when needed contracts,” Beckham noted.
Portland, Oregon-based Columbia Helicopters has two aircraft working on the fires in the southwestern US, including a CH47D, equipped with a 2,800 gallon-capacity internal tank, operating out of Durango on the 416 fire. A Columbia Model 234, fitted with a 2,600 gallon Bambi bucket, is flying on the Buzzard Fire from Silver City, New Mexico. The operator has also prepositioned a CH47D at Sedona, Arizona, awaiting possible call-up.
As Keith Saylor, the company’s Director, Commercial Operations pointed out, all three helicopters are under USFS exclusive use contracts, while an additional CH47D, and a Columbia Model 107, are available under USFS call when needed contracts. “Given the hot and dry conditions, we expected to see a number of very large fires develop quickly,” he said. “Surprisingly, that has not yet happened at quite the level we expected. But it’s only a matter of time before this changes.”
Two fixed wing Turbine Commander aircraft, operated by Rogers Helicopters are currently fighting the growing 416 Fire, flying out of Durango, Colorado. As Robin Roger’s, the Fresno, California-based company’s Vice President explained, one aircraft was deployed on May 22 under a USFS exclusive use contract, and the other on June 10, under a USFS call when needed contract. Both are used in an air traffic management role during the attack phase.
“As the fire season progresses, we expect to have more of our aircraft activated under call when needed contracts,” Rogers noted. “For example, we sent a Bell 212HP to Marta, Texas, under our first call when needed contract this year. It was our first operation in Texas in about eight to 10 years.”
Timberline Helicopters has just completed its first firefighting mission of the 2018 fire season, according to Brian Jorgenson, the Sandpoint, Idaho-based company’s Vice President. He explained that a single K-MAX helicopter, equipped with a 650 gallon capacity Bambi Bucket, was dispatched to Laramie, Wyoming under a USFS exclusive use contract. The aircraft, supported by a pilot, mechanic, and fuel truck driver, was activated nearly five weeks prior to the contract’s July 15 effective date, due to the number of active fires in Colorado and Wyoming, he said.
“This is the earliest that one of our helicopters has been dispatched to a fire, prior to a contract’s start date—but it’s not the first time,” Jorgenson explained. “In fact, we always have our helicopters and crews ready to go no later than June 1 each year, since nobody can predict how severe a fire season will be.”
He added that a second K-MAX was sent to Moab, Utah, to work the Trail Mountain Fire. In addition, four of the company’s Blackhawk helicopters will be positioned in Central and Southern California by the end of June, under call when needed contracts. Each Blackhawk is supported by an eight member staff, including two pilots.
Dan Snyder, Chief Operating Officer for Neptune Aviation Services in Missoula, Montana reported that his company’s fleet of BAe 146 fixed wing aircraft “have been very active at multiple locations since early March.” Currently, four of the company’s nine BAe 146 fixed wing tankers are under USFS exclusive use contracts, while two are under USFS call when needed agreements.
“We also have three call when needed contracts with California, Minnesota and Montana, respectively. However, no aircraft have been activated or committed at this point to these agreements.” Snyder noted.
The BAe 146 aircraft, which have totally replaced Neptune’s legacy P2V fleet—retired in 2017—have flown over 400 hours on fires this year so far, out of Colorado, Arizona, Utah and California.
Columbia Helicopters, Helimax Aviation, Neptune Aviation Services, Rogers Helicopters, and Timberline Helicopters are all members of the American Helicopter Services And Aerial Firefighting Association (AHSAFA). AHSAFA is the Washington-based trade association representing the privately operated aerial firefighting industry before federal agencies tasked with wildland management and resource protection.
George Hill, American Helicopter Services and Aerial Firefighting Association, http://ahsafa.org, (801) 673-7324, [email protected]
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