The last time I observed DC-10 air tanker operations (ops) on the Pocatello Airport was in July 2021 (in August 2022, I observed BAE-Avro-RJ85, MD87 and Air Tractor ops).

Sometime between 11 and Noon, flying eastward over the Chubbuck Days Festival.

On 10AUG2024, I was alerted to the DC-10’s presence when they flew low over the Chubbuck Days Festival in Cotant Park.

Ex-NASA DC-8 now serving as Idaho State University’s aviation maintenance aircraft, and further down is another DC-10 being ‘bombed-up’ at the U.S. Forest Service’s air tanker base.

DC-10s and a retired DC-8 (the wind has picked up and is messing with the audio):

The Pocatello Air Tanker Base is one of several U.S. Forest Service operations covering the western United States. Upgrades to the base were completed by Summer 2022, however, the upgrades actually resulted in “minimized capacity”:

The ‘new-to-me’ location of the U.S. Forest Service’s air tanker base, on the eastern end of the airport runway. Near the dirt racing track and skeet shooting range.

The new U.S. Forest Service air base ops building versus the old building, and apparently there was a new fire near the Soda Springs area of Idaho (according to the wildfires.gov website):

Pocatello Air Tanker Base, July 2021:

K-Max & 10 Tanker, waiting for the call

DC-10 & B-17 Sentimental Journey

Wildfires 2019:

Idaho’s 911

SMOKE ’EM IF YOU GOT ’EM, 2017!: POCATELLO AIRPORT FIRE BOMBERS ARE BACK! Air Tractors, RJ85s, old outdate Neptunes, and of course DC-10s.

U.S. WILDFIRES 2016: DC-10 POCATELLO AIRPORT

IDAHO WILDFIRES 2015: POKEY AIRPORT DC-10 WATER BOMBER

Idaho Wildfires 2012, the year it got real bad: Canadian BAe 146 (RJ85) join the fight on Pocatello Airtanker Base

POCATELLO BURNING! EVACUATIONS! SOUTHEAST IDAHO BURNING! BANNOCK COUNTY BANS FIREWORKS, DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY!

To see more of my past coverage just do a search using Idaho Wildfires, or Pocatello Tanker Base, or Pocatello Airport.