WashingtonThe private aerial firefighting industry is on alert for what is likely to be an extended wild land fire season, thanks to unusually long-running drought conditions throughout much of the country this past year.
“At the request of the US Forest Service, we will have an aircraft on contract to the agency through the winter months–for the first time,” said Dan Snyder, President of air tanker operator Neptune Aviation in Missoula, MT. “We also plan to have three aircraft available as of March 1, 2011. This is a little earlier than normal, because the Forest Service expects the 2012 fire season to start earlier–as was the case this year.”
Snyder explained that while no decision has been made concerning where the tankers will be based; however, Texas, New Mexico, and California are the likely locations, given the disastrous fires that took place in those areas during 2011. “Dry conditions have continued to plague the Southwest–especially Texas which seems to be the area of greatest concern to the Forest Service right now.”
In fact, as Snyder noted, two of the company’s P2V Neptunes have been deployed to Bergstrom International Airport in Austin, and one to East Texas Regional Airport in Longview for immediate call-up–if needed. Longview, he added, is also the current base for Neptune’s next generation aerial tanker, a modified BAE 146 regional jetliner, which has already operated on multiple fires in east Texas since early October.”
Todd Petersen, Vice-President-Marketing for Columbia Helicopters reported the Portland, Oregon-based operator has had one of its twin-rotor Columbia 107 helicopters on extended duty in east Texas; out of Huntsville, since March, under a State contract.
“Ordinarily, that helicopter would have been withdrawn by the end of September, but we expect it to remain there for the rest of this year,” Petersen remarked. “That’s because east Texas is still considered a high fire danger area.”
Extended fire danger is also a concern in Louisiana and as far north as Minnesota this year, according to Stuart Taft, Chief Pilot of Lewiston, Idaho-based Hillcrest Aircraft Company. The operator currently has a Bell 407 helicopter positioned in Alexandria, Louisiana, along with a Bell 206-L3 in Bemidji, Minnesota, under contract to that State’s Department of Natural Resources.
“Both of those areas have had very little precipitation this fall, so the fire danger is considered very high,” he noted. “I do not expect those helicopters to be withdrawn until at least the middle of this month, or even as late as Thanksgiving.” Taft explained that with the exception of Southern California, it is unusual to have helicopters in an alert mode at this time of year.
“The ability to deploy these assets on an increasingly year-round basis is another example of private industry at work in keeping our wildlands, and urban-wilderness interface areas safe from the growing threat of larger, more devastating fires,” said Tom Eversole, American Helicopter Services and Aerial Firefighting Association (AHSAFA) Executive Director. “As the first-responders to a wildland fire, the unique capabilities of the aerial tanker and helicopter operators are an indispensable piece of the network dedicated to the protection of natural resources, as well as homes and businesses located in high-risk fire zones.”
Columbia Helicopters, Hillcrest Aircraft Company, and Neptune Aviation are members of the American Helicopter Services & Aerial Firefighting Association (AHSAFA), a Washington-based trade association representing commercial operators of helicopters and fixed wing aircraft engaged in aerial wildland firefighting.
