Wildfire Containment
Monday, September 7, 2009 at 9:19AM 
Aircraft and airports play a pivotal role in wildfire containment
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Airtanker dropping fire retardant
The latest wildfire burning on the outskirts of Los Angles is being fought not only on the ground but from the air as well.
Aircraft have long been used to fight wildfires and the firefighters on the ground have come to depend heavily on them. They range in size from single engine aircraft up to the largest 747 Jumbo Jet. World War II and Korean War Era bombers were often converted to fight fires and military C-130 transport planes are common as well. For more precise and frequent drops a helicopter will is primarily used. Every type of aircraft made plays a role in fighting a wildland fire.
It takes a special breed of pilot to fly these dangerous missions. Often they are heavily laden with fire suppressant and they are flying low to the ground. The fire creates its own little weather patterns that can surprise pilots at the worst times. Hot air rises and creates what are called updrafts. Its like a fountain of air rising rapidly into the sky. It creates turbulent and rough flying conditions. One second you may be flying smoothly and the next you are being jostled around violently. The plane may all of a sudden gain altitude only to drop rapidly once its passed the updraft. A pilot must always be on their toes and prepared for any number of events that may strike.
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Unfortunately there are often crashes related to aircraft firefighting and many good pilots have lost their life in the line of duty. They die doing what they love, flying airplanes and helping others. They really are heroes because their efforts protect both those who live near the fire and those who are in harms way fighting the fire from the ground.
In Colorado wildfires are a frequent event and a good amount of aircraft firefighting occur in this state. The operation for fires near the Denver Metro area is usually based out of Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport and is operated by the US Forest Service.
Airports like Rocky Mountain Metro and others across the state are pivotal to wildfire operations. They are especially beneficial because they are easier to operate into and out of. These airports are typically general aviation airports or small commercial airports. They aren't busy on the level of a DIA sized airport. They don't have to mix with a Boeing 767 or an Airbus A320. So they get priority and can go perform a drop then return to refuel and onload more fire retardant in a very short period of time. This allows for numerous drops per day and greatly increases the firefighting capabilities.
Fire retardant being dropped
The next time there is a wildfire in the Denver Metro area consider going out to Rocky Mountain Metro and watch the operations. You have to stay clear of the airport movement area but even watching from outside of the fence you can get a great view of just how well these operations are run. The aircraft are on the ground for a surprisingly minimal amount of time before they are off on their next mission.
So the next time you see a wildfire on TV or see the smoke from one burning nearby remember that there is a battle going on both on the ground and in the air
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