For Immediate Release:

Washington, D.C., September 8, 2011…Airborne firefighting companies continue to deploy assets to central Texas to help contain one of the worst wildfires ever experienced in that area. According to the US Forest Service, some 26 fires in the region have burned over 113,678 acres, and destroyed as many as 1,400 structures to date.

“We now have four air tankers and a staff of 20 support personnel, operating under a US Forest Service contract, out of Abilene Regional Airport,” said Dan Snyder, President of Neptune Aviation of Missoula, Montana. Snyder reported the company has had its signature P2V airtankers working all of the fires in the Dallas-Austin-Houston triangle since August 31. Each airtanker carries 2,000 gallons of retardant and has flown over 50 hours on the Texas wildfires.

A spokesman for Erickson Air-Crane reported the Central Point, Oregon-based company has deployed one of its S-64 helitankers to Texas, under contract with the US Forest Service. The Skycrane has flown more than 39 hours on various fires throughout Texas since Aug. 24, using a 2,650 gallon tank system which can dispense water, retardant, or a foam mix. As of Sept. 6, the Erickson Air-Crane S-64 has been flying in support of ground firefighters in their efforts to contain the Bastrop wildfire near Austin, which has destroyed nearly 500 homes and burned about 25,000 acres–so far.

Also working the Bastrop fire is one of Columbia Helicopters’ twin-rotor Vertol 107-IIs, based at the Smithville-Crawford Municipal Airport, just southeast of Bastrop. According to Dan Sweet, Public Relations Manager for the Portland, Oregon-based company, that helicopter flew nearly 20 hours over the Labor Day weekend in support of ground crews. The helicopter has been operating in Texas under a US Forest Service contract for the past several months, and is supported by a staff of seven pilots, and five mechanics. “The helicopter uses an 1,100-gallon SEI Bambi Bucket equipped with a Powerfill system attached to the aircraft with a 180-foot line,” Sweet noted. “This allows the pilot to draw from tree-lined lakes, streams, ponds or–in dire emergencies –even backyard swimming pools.”

Neptune Aviation, Erickson Air-Crane, and Columbia Helicopters are members of the American Helicopter Services & Aerial Firefighting Association (AHSAFA), aWashington-based trade association representing commercial operators of helicopters and fixed wing aircraft engaged in aerial wildland firefighting. END

Contact: Tom Eversole, Executive Director, American Helicopter Services and Aerial Firefighting Association (AHSAFA), Arlington, VA – TEL: 703-409-4355

Download PDF PressReleaseTexasFireSeptember2011.pdf

For Immediate Release:

Washington, D.C., June 10, 2011…Privately operated aerial firefighting companies are putting additional fixed wing tankers and helicopters on the massive Wallow fire in eastern Arizona, as the blaze remains uncontained. The fire, which has the potential to become the largest in Arizona’s history, has to date engulfed over 389,000 acres, about 620 square miles.

“This fire is spotting well ahead of itself because the high winds are carrying the embers beyond the main fire,” said Rick Livingston, President of Intermountain Helicopter, Inc., in Sonora, California. The company, he reported, has just positioned a Bell 212 medium helicopter at Show Low, from which it is averaging 20-25 water drops from a 240-gallon capacity external bucket, and averaging 4-5 flight hours daily, “Right now, the real focus of our efforts is to save structures. There is really no end in sight for this fire right now.”

Also operating out of Show Low is Columbia Helicopters’ heavy, twin-rotor Chinook 234, according to the Portland, Oregon-based company’s Public Relations Manager Dan Sweet. Supported by a crew of three pilots, and a 12-member ground crew, the helicopter has been on firefighting duty since June 6, with an initial deployment to Springerville, Arizona. The Chinook uses a 2,650 gallon capacity external bucket to drop water and retardant onto the flames, flying about eight hours daily.

“We are anticipating a very active fire season this year, throughout the Southwest,” said Sweet.”

Hillcrest Aircraft Company, Inc., of Lewiston, ID also has a Bell 205A-1++ helicopter in Show Low fighting the Wallow Fire and a Bell 407 working the New Mexico side of the fires.

Loren Crea, Director of Flight Operations for Neptune Aviation in Missoula, Montana, reported that since early May, the company’s P2V Neptune aerial tanker fleet has expanded from one to five in the fire area. Currently, the twin-engine tankers are attacking the Wallow fire from bases in Silver City and Albuquerque, New Mexico; Pueblo, Colorado, and Winslow, Arizona. The five airtankers are flying a cumulative total of 10-20 hours daily, each dropping 2,100 gallons of fire retardant per trip.

“The size of the fire, the heavy smoke, and the airspace around it are presenting challenges. A lot of aircraft are working this fire,” said Crea.

Another air tanker operator, Aero Union Corporation of Sacramento, California, has had three modified P3 Orions in action for the past two weeks on the eastern Arizona fires, from bases in Winslow, Arizona and Silver City, New Mexico, according to company chief pilot Norm Cook.

“With a fire this big, the tankers are helping to build fire break lines around the West flank of the fire, to help protect the town of Greer,” Cook explained. “The terrain is very steep and difficult for ground crews to gain access.” In addition to the Wallow fire, Cook reported, Aero Union is also engaged in fighting the Murphy fire, south of Fort Huachuca, Arizona.

“Each aircraft is dropping 2,550 gallons of fire retardant per trip,” he noted. “The support staff–a pilot, copilot, and crew chief, plus four to five ground-based staff–are putting in 10 to 12 hours of duty time per day, and each aircraft is flying six to eight hours daily, under high wind and heavy smoke conditions.”

Aero Union, Columbia Helicopters, Hillcrest Aircraft, Intermountain Helicopter., and Neptune Aviation are members of the American Helicopter Services & Aerial Firefighting Association (AHSAFA). AHSAFA is the Washington-based trade association representing the private operators of helicopters and fixed wing aircraft before the US Department of Agriculture-Forest Service; the US Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management; the Bureau of Indian Affairs; the Fish and Wildlife Service; the National Park Service; and various State wild land firefighting agencies. The association represents its members on Capitol Hill by working with key Congressional offices for the promotion of aerial firefighting industry needs, and support, and at key government agency meetings to monitor and provide input on issues impacting the aerial firefighting industry. AHSAFA also interfaces with other trade groups with common interests. END

Contact: Tom Eversole, Executive Director, American Helicopter Services and Aerial Firefighting Association (AHSAFA), Arlington, VA – TEL: 703-409-4355.

Download PDF PressReleaseArizonaFires.pdf