Tag Archives: brush

U.S. Wildfire 2021: K-Max & 10 Tanker, waiting for the call

When the wildfire season officially starts in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, little used Pocatello Regional Airport becomes Pocatello Airtanker Base.

Idaho Wildfires 2012:

Photo by AAron B. Hutchins, 2012.

CANADAIR CL 215

This year (despite the hype by main-stream national news), and the past few years, Pocatello Airtanker Base hasn’t been as busy as it was between the years 2012 and 2017. We had a plethora of water bombers, various types of fixed wing and rotary wing, some even coming from Canada.

A couple of BAEs and an ancient Neptune, September 2012. Photo by AAron B. Hutchins.

Pocatello Tanker Base 2012:

Photo by AAron B. Hutchins, 2012.

SIKORSKY & USMC IN TOWN

The area is still getting smoked-out by regional fires, but nothing like the amount of smoke during the 2012-2018 years.  In 2018 the smoke from record setting California fires was bad enough that I taped furnace filters to my windows (I don’t have central air conditioning).  So since about 2019, most of what you see on Pocatello Airtanker Base are a DC-10, a helicopter or two, and the always present Air Tractors.

On 23JUL2021, I just happened to be checking out the airport and caught the crew of a Mountain West Helicopters K-Max, waiting for a call to action, sitting near the tarmac in 90+ Fahrenheit temperatures.

Video from 2008, Mountainwest Helicopters K-Max using Bambi Bucket during Piute Mountain wildfire:

Lockheed Martin video showing a K-Max drone (remote control, no pilot) dropping water on a fire:

And I was lucky enough to just catch a glimpse of a DC-10 returning from a water-drop mission.

Kit builders should note the noticeable gap between the water tank and the fuselage.

Also notice that 10 Tanker has given their DC-10s a new livery.

2020 video of 10 Tanker #911 bombing a fire near homes in California:

2016 video of 10 Tanker training in New Mexico, note that the big water bombers are led-in by smaller FAC aircraft:

U.S. Wildfires 2021: Wyoming governor waves federal pandemic restrictions to ease aviation fuel shortage for water bombers

FOR FIRST TIME, IDAHO MOBILIZES MILITIA FOR FIRE DUTY!

Idaho Wildfires 2019:

DC-10, IDAHO’S 911

U.S. Forest Service FAC (Forward Air Controller) taking off from Pocatello Airtanker Base. Photo by AAron B. Hutchins.

MD-87 WATER BOMBER, NEW KING AIR F-A-C

Pocatello Airtanker Base 2017:

Photo by AAron B. Hutchins, August 2017.

SMOKE ’EM IF YOU GOT ’EM! THE FIRE BOMBERS ARE BACK!

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

Pocatello Air Tanker Base, September 2012:  MORE AIR TANKERS ARRIVE AT POCATELLO TANKER BASE. EVACUATIONS IN EFFECT!

MORE CANADIAN AIRCRAFT ARRIVE AT POCATELLO

CONAIR’s Convair, notice the retardant stains, from the day before, have been cleaned off. Photo by AAron B. Hutchins.

CANADA JOINS THE FIGHT 

Pocatello Air Tanker Base, August 2012:

MAFFS 5 gets airborne! Photo by AAron B. Hutchins.

MAFFS C-130s RETURN TO POCATELLO AIRPORT, IDAHO NATIONAL GUARD JOINS BATTLE!

12 July 2012:

Comin’ down! Photo by AAron B. Hutchins.

BUSY 30 MINUTES AT POCATELLO AIRPORT, AS A VARIETY OF FIRE FIGHTING AIRCRAFT FLY INTO ACTION

U.S. Wildfires, 2021: For first time, Idaho mobilizes Militia for fire duty!

For the first time in Idaho’s history, the governor has mobilized the National Guard specifically for fighting fires:

Snake River Complex Fire, KHQ-TV says residents told to fight the fire themselves!

Real time Idaho fire map: idfg.idaho.gov

Federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM): Idaho Fires

Idaho Department of Lands: Fire News Feed

Idaho, 2021: COLD CREEK FIRE NEAR AMERICAN FALLS

Idaho 2018, Pocatello’s Snake River Hot Shots:

Idaho 2012, Charlotte Fire:

On Interstate-15 northbound, Tender 1 racing towards Pocatello, Idaho, 28 June 2012.  Photo by AAron B. Hutchins.

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

How Idaho’s ‘Big Burn’ fire of 1910 shaped the way wildfires are fought.

U.S. Wildfires, 2021: Beckwourth Complex, MAFFS joins the fight

According to the U.S. National Interagency Fire Center, 57 fires have burned 667-thousand-346 acres across Arizona, California, Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, Oregon and Washington, as of 10JUL2021.

08JUL2021. Nevada Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sergeant Paula Macomber.

In Northern California there is a complex of fires that have been ongoing, and difficult to combat, known as Beckwourth.  It’s so frustrating that the California and Nevada Air National Guards are now involved in that combat.

Nevada Air National Guard C-130, MAFFS 9 out of Reno, near Frenchman Lake 09JUL2021. Nevada ANG photo by Senior Master Sergeant Paula Macomber.

A single C-130 MAFFS from the California ANG, and two C-130 MAFFS from Nevada ANG, began bombing runs in the Frenchman Lake area, on 09JUL2021.

Nevada ANG photo by Senior Master Sergeant Paula Macomber.

California National Guard video report by Master Sergeant David Loeffler, MAFFS joins the fight:

California: MAFFS PREP WILDFIRE 2021

Lone S-64 Skycrane water-dropper, near Frenchman Lake, 08JUL2021. Nevada ANG photo by Senior Master Sergeant Paula Macomber.

Beckwourth Complex Fire Morning Update July 9, 2021

Privately operated DC-10 near Frenchman Lake, 09JUL2021. Nevada ANG photo by Senior Master Sergeant Paula Macomber.

Privately operated BAe 146 near Frenchman Lake, 09JUL2021. Nevada ANG photo by Senior Master Sergeant Paula Macomber.

Privately operated MD-87 near Frenchman Lake, 09JUL2021. Nevada ANG photo by Senior Master Sergeant Paula Macomber.

U.S. Wildfire Prep, 2021: OREGON MOBILIZES FOR RED CARD!

U.S. Wildfires, 2021: SIERRA FIRE

Idaho, 2019:

Photo by AAron B. Hutchins.

DC-10, IDAHO’S 911

Photo by AAron B. Hutchins.

Erickson MD-87 WATER BOMBER at Pocatello

Idaho, 2012:

Operated by Erickson Air-Crane fire fighting service.

SIKORSKY SKYCRANE LEAVES POCATELLO AIRPORT FOR COX’S WELL FIRE

Ducks in a row. BAe 146-200s and the old Convair CV580, at Pocatello airport during Idaho’s 2012 wildfire outbreaks. Photo by AAron B. Hutchins.

MORE CANADIAN BAe 146 ARRIVE AT POCATELLO