“The fire was moving at 20-25 mph; the fire traveled a mile and a half in 20 minutes to jump into ‘our’ property. With the pasture field grass that we have out here, that’s how fast it can move. The fire was eating up ground, all we can do was carrel it and defend it from jumping on county land, basically keep it on Army land.”– Steven Coloma, Pōhakuloa Training Area (PTA) Fire and Emergency Services
From July 30th to August 4th, 2021, the Waimea wildfire grew to become the largest in Hawaii’s modern history. Hawaii’s Army National Guard, and the U.S. Army’s 25th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB), joined the fight.
U.S. Army photo, 31JULY2021.
25th CAB used their CH-47 and HH-60 helicopters:“…the priority was some threatened and endangered species that reside on PTA. Once we got that initial assessment from the PTA firefighters, we started hitting the areas around the threatened and endangered species. That was PTA garrison commander’s number one priority—fire management on federal land, and ensure we saved the threatened and endangered species.”-Major Lee Jones, 3rd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment
USA photo, 31JULY2021.
Armed with Bambi buckets, the Chinook and Black Hawk ‘copters made 268 drops on the fire, more than 169-thousand gallons of water. The Waimea wildfire burned at least 40-thousand acres (16187 hectares).
U.S. Army photo by Staff Sergeant Christopher Stewart, 14AUG2021.
The U.S. Army’s 12th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) could be taking part in a wargame called Dynamic Front 21, instead they have joined with USAID in helping the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (Tarım ve Orman Bakanlığı) fight fires in the western mountains.
USA photo by Staff Sergeant Christopher Stewart, 14AUG2021.
Flying their CH-47 Chinooks, the 1st Battalion, 214th Aviation Regiment, 12th CAB deployed from their assignment in Bulgaria to fight fires in Turkey, on 12AUG2021.
USA photo by Staff Sergeant Christopher Stewart, 14AUG2021.
USA photo by Staff Sergeant Christopher Stewart, 14AUG2021.
Water bombing aircraft from around the world arrived in Turkey to fight the fires:
On 14AUG2021, a Russian Navy flying boat crashed while fighting a fire in Turkey:
On 16AUG2021, the Minnesota Army National Guard deployed two UH-60M Black Hawks to fight the fires spreading across The North Star State. Video by Staff Sergeant Sydney Mariette:
Photo by Senior Master Sergeant Ralph Kapustka.
On 17AUG2021, Minnesota Air National Guard deployed a fuel truck to support Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) fire crews.
On 12AUG2021, twenty three Wisconsin Army National Guard personnel took three UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters to California to help fight the fires, for the second year in a row.
Wisconsin ANG Black Hawk practices using the Bambi Bucket, 12AUG2021, prior to leaving for California. WANG photo by Greg Mason.
WANG video by Greg Mason, of Bambi Bucket training on Fort McCoy, 12AUG2021:
It wasn’t Just Wisconsin sending their militia to help The Golden State; Arizona, Pennsylvania and Oklahoma sent Air National Guard TACPs (Tactical Air Control Party Specialists) and ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) aircrews at the request of the Boise, Idaho, based National Interagency Fire Center: “The entire fire service lacks fire fighters, equipment, and especially intelligence capable assets. Being able to utilize TACPs and the ISR aircraft during fire suppression efforts is filling a large gap that we, in civilian government lack. The expertise TACPs bring truly makes our jobs much easier, safer, and can translate into our mission objectives.”-George Violante, National Interagency Fire Center
Arizona Air National Guard ISR wildland fire mapping RC-26 flying out of Eugene Airport, Oregon, 01AUG2021. Nevada ANG photo by Airman First Class Thomas Cox.
Pennsylvania & Oklahoma TACPs set-up near Chester, California, 25JUL2021. PANG photo by Master Sergeant Brent Hill.
The National Interagency Fire Center says military TACPs are perfect for the job of wildland fire fighting from the air: “They require limited training and can engage right into providing real-time critical decision-making information for the incident management personnel. The constant demand for this type of support speaks for itself. We appreciate their time away from their families and the long hours they work to support the Interagency National Fire Center and fire staff on the ground.”-George Violante
Pennsylvania TACP somewhere in Nevada, 13JUL2021. PANG photo by Lieutenant Colonel Angela King-Sweigart.
“Today marked yet another milestone in the proud history of the Idaho National Guard as wildland firefighter ground crews mobilized and deployed to support the growing wildland fire threats across our state.”-Brigadier General Russ Johnson, Idaho National Guard Joint Staff
Idaho Army National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur.
On 04AUG2021, sixteen Idaho Air and Army National Guard personnel, who are federal Type 2 Red Card (Incident Qualification Card) certified, were deployed to assist the Idaho Department of Lands battle at least 15 wildfires across the Gem State.
To be Red Card certified means you’re literally are given a red card saying you are qualified to fight wildfires. IANG photo by Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur.
72 Idaho state militia personnel are Red Card certified: “We are currently training more Soldiers and Airmen as they volunteer for this mission in the hopes of building a large capacity consisting of several hand crews.”-Lieutenant Colonel Tony Vincelli, Task Force Timber Shield
IANG photo by Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur.
Two Idaho National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters have also been fighting fires, dropping more than 205-thousand gallons since July 13th.
An Idaho 1-183rd Aviation Battalion Black Hawk deployed to fight fires in California, in 2020. California Air National Guard photo by Captain Jason Sanchez.
Eight militia members have also been providing logistical support since July 21st, at the Idaho Fire Cache warehouse in Coeur d’Alene.
“The request for additional support shows just how challenging this fire season is and how critical our MAFFS aircraft, aircrews and maintenance personnel are to supporting NIFC [National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho].”-Colonel Jeremy Ford, 152nd Airlift Wing, Nevada Air National Guard
Wyoming ANG photo by Technical Sergeant Jon Alderman.
On 19JUL2021, a Wyoming Air National Guard (ANG) C-130H MAFFS (Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System) was activated, and on 20JUL2021 was sent to battle wildfires in California.
Wyoming ANG photo by Technical Sergeant Jon Alderman.
The C-130H has been upgraded with a new propeller system.
Wyoming ANG photo by Technical Sergeant Jon Alderman.
Wyoming ANG video by Jacqueline Marshall, 19JUL2021:
Wyoming ANG photo by Technical Sergeant Jon Alderman.
Also on 19JUL2021, Colorado ANG activated a MAFFS to fight the fires in California. Music video announcement by Staff Sergeant Laura Fitsmorris:
CAL FIRE Air Tanker Base, McClellan Park. Nevada ANG photo by Senior Master Sergeant Paula Macomber.
Nevada’s ‘High Rollers’ just had their mission in California extended until August 26th!
MAFFS aircraft are only activated when it becomes clear that the private sector water bombers are overwhelmed, or will soon be, by the volume of wildfires.
When the wildfire season officially starts in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, little used Pocatello Regional Airport becomes Pocatello Airtanker Base.
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.
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.
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:
