When disaster strikes and a wildland fire is reported, emergency response on the ground is swift but can be complicated depending on the situation. The Tunnel 5 Fire, for example, ignited on the north side of the Columbia River at the western base of Underwood-White Salmon bluffs. The steep terrain and aggressive fire behavior limited what crews could do on the ground. As the fire quickly advanced up the bluff, emergency responders relied heavily on help from their airborne counterparts.
Enter Fire Boss 231 and 232 pilots Colby Smith and Aaron Vince. Both pilots work for Coastal Air Strike and are currently contracted out by the State of Oregon for fire season in the Gorge. This summer marks their third in Oregon. Although their contract with the State of Oregon didn’t start until Monday, July 3 — 12 hours after the Tunnel 5 Fire started — they played an important role in the Tunnel 5 Fire response.
Read more on this story at the Columbia Gorge News
