LINCOLN, Neb. — Fire season has arrived in Nebraska and local fire chiefs have begun requesting observation flights to detect possible wildfires as soon after lightning strikes as possible.
The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Nebraska Forest Service (NFS) and the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) have a long history of working together in various capacities to prevent and extinguish wildfires.
Last Friday, at the request of local volunteer fire department chiefs, a detection flight discovered three fires in addition to three working fires. The flight crew was able to report the fires to crews on the ground.
“These flights are one of the tools we have to put out fires before they get out of hand,” said NEMA Assistant Director Bryan Tuma. “The CAP aircraft and pilots are prepared to respond rapidly when local fire departments need aerial fire detection flights during fire weather and drought conditions. These flights are essential in our efforts to reduce the destruction that can be caused by wildfires.”
Read more on this story at News Channel Nebraska
