The 2012 fire season is now in full swing for the south and southwest regions. It is hoped that it will not be nearly as intense as last year’s season. The National Weather Service has declared the La Nina weather pattern over, and the drought conditions that plagued the region are slowly waning. Western regions have experienced a wet winter adding to already heavy fuel load, setting the stage for a past due active season.
Many government fire agencies are feeling the economic pinch brought on by the sluggish economy. Funds for prevention and suppression are tight. With aerial firefighting assets being the most expensive tool in the box, they could be used much more conservatively.
Agencies that in the past have pre-positioned aircraft in fire prone areas now will be calling in assets after a fire has started and releasing those assets after the fire is out. The Texas Forest Service, for instance, has already stated it will employ those tactics in 2012. That state agency still owes over one-hundred sixty million dollars from suppression of fires in years past. In this issue of AirFire & Forestry, you will read an article about my recent attendance to the SEAT academy in Sacramento, California. The AT-802 simulators there are a great training tool. I had reservations before I went, but they were squashed as I went through the program.
Where else can you intentionally spin a fully loaded AT-802 and live to tell about it. I look for the program to only improve with time. The National Heavy Airtanker fleet is now down to only ten aircraft. One of the P2-Vs was found to have a crack in its wing spar and repairs are just not financially practical considering the limited life of the aircraft. There will be a real tug-of-war for these assets as the season heats up. On a recent fire in West Texas, six of them were used for several days. That’s sixty percent of the fleet on one fire incident!
The fire mentioned above was the Livermore Ranch Complex. It was a real threat to a resort community high in the Davis Mountains. At its apex, there were six heavies, six SEATs and two helicopters working it. I have never before experienced such a smooth flow of aircraft in the fire traffic area. The Air Attacks and Lead Plane pilots are to be commended. It was a real pleasure to work with these professionals. I hope everyone has a safe and profitable season. Remember to always leave yourself an out and I hope to see you in the mountains one day.
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