August 31, 2009
Tanker 979 (747 Supertanker) Maiden Fire Drop
MyFoxLA was the first to follow the Supertanker as it circled the Station Fire and made its first drop on a live fire. This day has been long in coming for the people at Evergreen Aviation in Marana Arizona.
The tanker offers up 20,000 gallons per load. Consider that Tanker 910, the DC-10 Supertanker delivers 12,000 gallons.
There is a new weapon over California fires and it is about time.
The tanker offers up 20,000 gallons per load. Consider that Tanker 910, the DC-10 Supertanker delivers 12,000 gallons.
There is a new weapon over California fires and it is about time.
Labels: 2009 Fire Season, DC-10 Supertanker, Station Fire, Tanker 910, Tanker 979
Tanker 979, The 747 Supetanker Expected Over Fires Today
As yet the contracted jumbo jet supertanker has not been pressed into service. The US Forest Service passed on signing up the weapon in 2007 but this year Cal Fire smartly offered the group from Evergreen Aviation a deal.
Here is a promo video of Tanker 979 over the desert near Tucson. The 747 supertanker has a payload of 20,000 gallons. Tanker 910, the DC-10 supertanker delivers 12,000 gallons of water or retardant.
I can't wait to see the first images of this aircraft in operation over a fire.
Here is a promo video of Tanker 979 over the desert near Tucson. The 747 supertanker has a payload of 20,000 gallons. Tanker 910, the DC-10 supertanker delivers 12,000 gallons of water or retardant.
I can't wait to see the first images of this aircraft in operation over a fire.
Labels: 747 Supertanker, Station Fire, Tanker 910, Tanker 979
July 13, 2009
Supertankers Standing Guard Over California
The Cal Fire air program secured the use of the massive 747 Supertanker for the 2009 fire season according to Rim Of The World.Net. This amazing aircraft, with its 20,000 gallon payload joins Tanker910, the State contracted DC-10 behemoth in Victorville.Both aircraft will be less than 45 minutes to any spot in Southern California.
Tanker 910 has already proven to be a tremendous asset during its two years of service. The DC-10 carries a 12,000 gallon payload.
If this is not good enough another firefighting industry giant will call Southern California home this season. The Village News reports the Martin Mars JMR3 waterbomber with a 7,200 gallon payload is scheduled to arrive from it's home base in Vancouver British Columbia this week for positioning at Lake Elsinore.
The Martin Mars is a water plane and can scoop its load from a lake or bay making reloading quick and inexpensive. The Martin Mars is under contract with the U.S. Forest Service.
Cal Fire's commitment to the additional Supertanker while welcomed is also puzzling. In an ordinary year it might be considered a budget buster. With the state essentially broke it begs the question why now?
Perhaps this is posturing by Cal Fire principals, pump the budget before being forced to submit revised numbers. I don't know. Or maybe after crunching the numbers Cal Fire has decided extensive use of these weapons during initial attack can stop those $20 million campaign fires in their tracks, more than paying for the expensive bombers.
In any case I am all for extensive use of these firefighting weapons. Stomping out fires early for budget considerations is great but I view it from a firefighter safety standpoint.
The longer a campaign is drawn out the more firefighter injuries occur. Just look at the incident 209 reports for campaign fires. Injuries mount as the days wear on. Fatigue invites mistake, the numbers game catches up as acreage mounts and time on scene expands.
No price can be placed on safety.
I look forward to watching how these resources are put in play. I envy the guys and gals on the fire ground where these magnificent aircraft drop their loads. Imagine, between the three aircraft they can leave a trail of 40,000 gallons of water, retardant and gel.
For a look at the complete fleet of aircraft of aircraft at the disposal of Cal Fire click here.
Thanks to Michael E. Dubrasich of The Western Institute for Study of the Environment for the heads up!
Labels: 747 Supertanker, Cal Fire, Martin Mars, Tanker 910
November 15, 2008
Heroic Act, Notes & Observations
A TV reporter interviewing two firefighters from either LAFD or LA County asked them awkwardly if their efforts to save the Oak Ridge Mobile Home Park was a "major" disappointment.
Firefighter Hahn (sp) responded bluntly, no, the effort was remarkable. Firefighter Hahn told the reporter that just as his engine company was ordered to leave the scene for safety reasons they checked one last home for civilians. Hahn and his partner discovered a couple in their nineties that had just awakened and had no idea the danger they were in. The two firefighters scooped the couple up and placed them in their fire engine and drove them out.
According to Hahn visibility was near zero. Keep in mind too that the winds were blowing over 50 mile per hour with burning embers blowing about.
Similar acts of bravery are being reported as information gets out.
*Tanker 910 made an appearance over the Corona Fire in Orange County. Local news followed the giant supertanker as it dropped its 12,000 gallon load. Unfortunately the bulk of the load dispersed before reaching the ground. Winds at the time were being clocked at gusts over 50mph. I'm surprised they were summoned in such wind.
Firefighters on the ground in Yorba Linda are chasing the fire as it hop scotches over gold courses, canyons and housing developments due to long range spotting. An exact count of homes involved is impossible at this point but by my count more than 20 homes have burned.
Firefighter Hahn (sp) responded bluntly, no, the effort was remarkable. Firefighter Hahn told the reporter that just as his engine company was ordered to leave the scene for safety reasons they checked one last home for civilians. Hahn and his partner discovered a couple in their nineties that had just awakened and had no idea the danger they were in. The two firefighters scooped the couple up and placed them in their fire engine and drove them out.
According to Hahn visibility was near zero. Keep in mind too that the winds were blowing over 50 mile per hour with burning embers blowing about.
Similar acts of bravery are being reported as information gets out.
*Tanker 910 made an appearance over the Corona Fire in Orange County. Local news followed the giant supertanker as it dropped its 12,000 gallon load. Unfortunately the bulk of the load dispersed before reaching the ground. Winds at the time were being clocked at gusts over 50mph. I'm surprised they were summoned in such wind.
Firefighters on the ground in Yorba Linda are chasing the fire as it hop scotches over gold courses, canyons and housing developments due to long range spotting. An exact count of homes involved is impossible at this point but by my count more than 20 homes have burned.
Labels: 2008 Fire Season, Corona Fire, Sayre Fire, Tanker 910
August 12, 2008
Where Is The Evergreen 747 Supertanker?
One year ago I pondered why the Forest Service killed the deal with Evergreen for use of the 747 Supertanker. The decision was made by a non firefighting administrator just prior to a contract signing.
Had smarter heads prevailed we would be seeing the giant air tanker dropping retardant and water over fires today. What a welcomed sight that would have been.
The Evergreen 747 Supertanker can hold 24,000 gallons of retardant, twice what Cal Fire's Tanker 910 delivers.
Tanker 910 has proven valuable to wildfire tacticians since it was put into operation last year. Tanker 910 is the big star of any fire it's assigned to.
There is no question the future of air tankers is here, supertankers have proven value in wildfire suppression.
Here is a promotional video produced by Evergreeen International last year. Shortly after the this video was produced the Forest Service tore up the contract.
Once the deal was killed Evergreen announced the aircraft was converted to a cargo craft. Kind of like putting Secretariat out to pasture before he ever ran a race.
Had smarter heads prevailed we would be seeing the giant air tanker dropping retardant and water over fires today. What a welcomed sight that would have been.
The Evergreen 747 Supertanker can hold 24,000 gallons of retardant, twice what Cal Fire's Tanker 910 delivers.
Tanker 910 has proven valuable to wildfire tacticians since it was put into operation last year. Tanker 910 is the big star of any fire it's assigned to.
There is no question the future of air tankers is here, supertankers have proven value in wildfire suppression.
Here is a promotional video produced by Evergreeen International last year. Shortly after the this video was produced the Forest Service tore up the contract.
Once the deal was killed Evergreen announced the aircraft was converted to a cargo craft. Kind of like putting Secretariat out to pasture before he ever ran a race.
Labels: 747 Supertanker, DC-10 Supertanker, Tanker 910
July 24, 2008
Tanker 910, California's Best Firefighting Investment Ever
...besides the dedicated men and women of CalFire of course.
Box seats at a World Series game seven couldn't equal these ridge top tickets.
Box seats at a World Series game seven couldn't equal these ridge top tickets.
Labels: Tanker 910
July 06, 2008
Tanker 910 Over Big Sur as Basin Complex Flames Freshen
The GeoMAC image below shows the Basin Fire freshening as afternoon breezes pick up. This is an incredibly difficult fire to suppress. Resources are spread between the (still) populated Big Sur valley and the Ventana Wilderness and State Parks to the north, east and south. Only the now slowing Gap Fire has a higher priority of the hundreds of fires still burning statewide.This is why we see the Cal Fire's DC-10 Supertanker, Tanker 910 over the fire now. Local chatter indicates the giant aircraft is working the active north head of the fire.
This makes sense considering the wind changes predicted over the next two days. If as predicted the winds shift from northwest to a more easterly direction the fire could hook back towards the base camp situated at Molera State Park.
That scenario seems improbable at the moment but Deitrich does not want to suffer the humiliation of being overrun like the Cascade Fire base was last year. (that video is permanently embedded on the sidebar to the right)
We'll see some pictures of Tanker 910 over the fire by tonight though I won't poach any. Some bloggers do and that's their problem. I don't need Getty or AP lawyers at my doorstep as badly as I want the pics. I'll link.
You can get an idea of the wind and how it affects the Basin Complex live at RAMSDIS.
Moving down the map to the southeast head of the fire it appears the Basin will tie in to the cold Indians Fire line by tomorrow or Tuesday. At that point the combined acreage will move over 160,000 acres. Even then containment will be minimal.
Someone on one of the local blogs mentioned that 7,000 firefighters were assigned to the 178,000 acre Marble Cone Fire in 1978. The Basin Complex has approximately 2,500 on scene but this is a recent figure. Deitrich and crew were working with several hundred firefighters for most of the first two weeks as the fire became established.
Just keeping the flames out of Big Sur valley has been a minor miracle. The fact only 22 homes have burned so far is a minor miracle. Certainly a testament to good firefighting.
I hope someone nominates Deitrich and his team for recognition. Normally the Forest Service rotates ICS teams after two weeks. I hope they keep Deitrich on as long as possible.
It's his baby and he has a plan.
Labels: 2008 Fire Season, Basin Complex, California Firestorm 2008, Tanker 910
October 26, 2007
DC-10 Supertanker, Tanker 910 Over Slide Fire
Great video of Tanker 910 making a drop over the Slide Fire on October 22.
The converted DC-10 Supertanker is making a drop on the right flank of the fire near the head. Unfortunately the 40 mph winds dispersed the retardant over a too wide area but the point has been made again that this weapon is worth its weight.
I'm betting the Forest Service people who killed the 747 Supertanker earlier this year feel kinda stupid right now.
The converted DC-10 Supertanker is making a drop on the right flank of the fire near the head. Unfortunately the 40 mph winds dispersed the retardant over a too wide area but the point has been made again that this weapon is worth its weight.
I'm betting the Forest Service people who killed the 747 Supertanker earlier this year feel kinda stupid right now.
We should have a minimum of 10 of these giants at the ready, year round.
Labels: DC-10 Supertanker, Slide Fire, Tanker 910
September 07, 2007
Lick Fire Chars 27,000 Acres So Far
On September 3 the Lick Fire Incident Commander took a good look at the scene and estimated the fire could grow to 30,000 acres. This estimate was based on existing fire breaks, natural barriers and the weather at the time. According to last night's official Incident 209 report the fire has already taken out 27,000 acres.
Winds and smoke have both helped and hurt fire command. Winds initially worked to push the fire away from populated areas which minimized the potential for property damage while at the same time moved the fire to areas with limited access.
Smoke has hampered the fight as well. Once the wind died down smoke blanketed the fire ground making it difficult to put the assembled air force to work. Smoke from the Moonlight Fire near Lake Almanor added another layer of smoke on top of the Lick smoke that shut down air attack.
The fire is too large to fight effectively on the ground alone so fire command is fighting the fire with one hand tied behind their back. Once the wind clears some smoke the 1,800 + contingent will hit this thing with all cylinders firing.
Here is a video of the DC-10 Supertanker, Tanker 910 making a drop on the Lick Fire. (date unclear)
Lick Fire and Moonlight Fire updates later!
.
Winds and smoke have both helped and hurt fire command. Winds initially worked to push the fire away from populated areas which minimized the potential for property damage while at the same time moved the fire to areas with limited access.
Smoke has hampered the fight as well. Once the wind died down smoke blanketed the fire ground making it difficult to put the assembled air force to work. Smoke from the Moonlight Fire near Lake Almanor added another layer of smoke on top of the Lick smoke that shut down air attack.
The fire is too large to fight effectively on the ground alone so fire command is fighting the fire with one hand tied behind their back. Once the wind clears some smoke the 1,800 + contingent will hit this thing with all cylinders firing.
Here is a video of the DC-10 Supertanker, Tanker 910 making a drop on the Lick Fire. (date unclear)
Below is a great shot of the Supertanker making a drop on the Lick Fire Tuesday September 4.
Lick Fire and Moonlight Fire updates later!
.
Labels: 2007 fire season, DC-10 Supertanker, Lick Fire, Tanker 910
August 31, 2007
Stevens Fire Update
You can see for yourself from this webcam view that the fire is no longer a threat. If you can't believe your eyes then you can read it here at Desastres.org, Peru's top fire reporting site. I did a double take when I saw Google News had the Peruvian web site up top for news on this 150 acre wildfire.
Comment; The IC sized up the fire and requested Tanker 910. Dispatch approved the request and the Supertanker was overhead 2 hours later. Recall they believed this fire had the potential to reach 3,000 acres. My guess is the heavy tanker delivered a couple of well laid lines as part of the well coordinated air attack assault. The combined actions put this to bed.
Forty five engines were summoned to the scene along with crew strike teams and additional overhead. They were gearing up for a days long event.
It's my contention the DC-10 Supertanker blew this fire away. This is the second time in the last week an initial attack incident commander asked for the tanker. These BC's and fire captains are among the most experienced wildland firefighters in the world. If they order a piece of equipment it's because the armament will help save property or lives of civilians and firefighters.
Particulars for this fire are as follow per the Incident 209 report.
Size/Area
Involved
105 ACRES
% Contained
or MMA
55 Percent
Projected Final Size:
135 ACRES
Estimated Costs
to Date
$250,000
Estimated Final Cost:
$1,500,000
Actions planned for next operational period:
MOP UP, PATROL, IMPROVE FIRE LINE
Total Personnel assigned to fire 849, (yup eight hundred and forty nine)
That is roughly 8 firefighters per acre and between them it will cost the state $1 million more before this one is "cold trailed" i the next day or so.
I hope to read some eyewitness accounts of the effectiveness of the big plane and the role it played. I am maintaining my theme for this summer that we are at the dawn of a new era in wildland firefighting, an era where supertankers become part of the initial attack arsenal statewide.
Comment; The IC sized up the fire and requested Tanker 910. Dispatch approved the request and the Supertanker was overhead 2 hours later. Recall they believed this fire had the potential to reach 3,000 acres. My guess is the heavy tanker delivered a couple of well laid lines as part of the well coordinated air attack assault. The combined actions put this to bed.
Forty five engines were summoned to the scene along with crew strike teams and additional overhead. They were gearing up for a days long event.
It's my contention the DC-10 Supertanker blew this fire away. This is the second time in the last week an initial attack incident commander asked for the tanker. These BC's and fire captains are among the most experienced wildland firefighters in the world. If they order a piece of equipment it's because the armament will help save property or lives of civilians and firefighters.
Particulars for this fire are as follow per the Incident 209 report.
Size/Area
Involved
105 ACRES
% Contained
or MMA
55 Percent
Projected Final Size:
135 ACRES
Estimated Costs
to Date
$250,000
Estimated Final Cost:
$1,500,000
Actions planned for next operational period:
MOP UP, PATROL, IMPROVE FIRE LINE
Total Personnel assigned to fire 849, (yup eight hundred and forty nine)
That is roughly 8 firefighters per acre and between them it will cost the state $1 million more before this one is "cold trailed" i the next day or so.
I hope to read some eyewitness accounts of the effectiveness of the big plane and the role it played. I am maintaining my theme for this summer that we are at the dawn of a new era in wildland firefighting, an era where supertankers become part of the initial attack arsenal statewide.
Reminder of what Tanker 910 can do.
Labels: 2007 fire season, DC-10 Supertanker, Tanker 910
August 22, 2007
80 Fire Initial Attack Requests DC-10 Tanker, Denied
I came across an interesting item on the "Initial Attack" forum thread on WildlandFire.com.
Members reported a new fire off Interstate 80 near the summit dubbed the "80 Fire."
As you follow the thread it is apparent the Incident Commander upon size up requested a "heavy" air tanker from dispatch. For whatever reason the request was denied. Posters believe the aircraft requested is Tanker 910 most recently on assignment on the Zaca Fire in Santa Barbara. The fire, reportedly now at under 100 acres and holding was initially deemed a threat to a housing development in Truckee, 1/2 mile ahead of the fire.
Not second guessing dispatch here, in fact the information is second hand and it would not be fair to say the IC actually requested the DC-10 Supertanker (T-910). In any case this says the following;
More coverage on the "80 Fire" here.
Members reported a new fire off Interstate 80 near the summit dubbed the "80 Fire."
As you follow the thread it is apparent the Incident Commander upon size up requested a "heavy" air tanker from dispatch. For whatever reason the request was denied. Posters believe the aircraft requested is Tanker 910 most recently on assignment on the Zaca Fire in Santa Barbara. The fire, reportedly now at under 100 acres and holding was initially deemed a threat to a housing development in Truckee, 1/2 mile ahead of the fire.
Not second guessing dispatch here, in fact the information is second hand and it would not be fair to say the IC actually requested the DC-10 Supertanker (T-910). In any case this says the following;
- Battalion level fire officers know the tanker exists and what it is capable of.
- There is no turning back on the project after the current contract ends.
- Opinion from the field will put pressure on Fed tightwads who killed the 747 Supertanker.
- Firefighters will be looking overhead for the "heavy" on incidents in the future.
More coverage on the "80 Fire" here.
Labels: 2007 fire season, DC-10 Supertanker, Tanker 910
August 20, 2007
Tanker 910 Video From Zaca Fire Lines
Caught this on YouTube just now. If the firefighter who captured this amazing video wants to follow it with a story I would love to publish it here.
Tanker 910, (T-910) Wikipedia page.
Tanker 910, (T-910) Wikipedia page.
Labels: 2007 fire season, T-910, Tanker 910, Zaca Fire
August 16, 2007
Bee Columnist Jabs State On DC-10 Supertanker
The Sacramento Bee's veteran political columnist Dan Walters got it all wrong in his recent piece questioning the motivations behind the Cal Fire's contracting of the DC-10 Supertanker. He tries to draw a parallel to contracts for other aircraft made under the Davis administration to the Supertanker contract Governor Schwarzenegger signed earlier this year.
Walters employs old media tactics in his piece citing unknown and unnamed "rank and file firefighters";
"Some rank-and-file firefighters were dubious, as well, that a plane designed for level, high-altitude flight could perform the low-level maneuvers required of firefighting planes and dubbed it "Air Hummer," a jab at Schwarzenegger's favored mode of personal transport."
I doubt that but then again he can write what he likes, true or not. His readership will believe there are some "rank and file firefighters" running around questioning the need for such a tool true or not. Walters writes for the Sac Bee and is read by the hundreds of politicos in the capital city. A fair percentage of state level politicians read his word as fact and form opinion based on those slim facts.
These are the same people who fund Cal Fire.
Had Walters wanted to be fair he would have researched the issues surrounding the current state of firefighter aircraft nationwide. The Feds grounded the C-130 force due to a crash in 2002 and there are simply not enough (3,000 gallon capacity) P-3A/P-3B "Aerostar" Orion's to go around.
The decision by Governor Schwarzenegger and Cal Fire to sign the DC-10 Supertanker was made based on considerable testing and a dose of pragmatism. You can read CDF Director Ruben Grijalva's reasoning here.
The Chief sums up the Tanker 910 issue in his final sentence.
"The public safety, firefighter safety, and pilot safety issues, while not immediately measurable, may also be significant."
Nowhere in Dan Walters column was firefighter safety or any of the environmental (acreage saved) concerns mentioned.
Hopefully if the California Assembly or Senate ever debate this issue they read a little bit further than their favorite local columnist.
Tanker 910 Fact Sheet
Walters employs old media tactics in his piece citing unknown and unnamed "rank and file firefighters";
"Some rank-and-file firefighters were dubious, as well, that a plane designed for level, high-altitude flight could perform the low-level maneuvers required of firefighting planes and dubbed it "Air Hummer," a jab at Schwarzenegger's favored mode of personal transport."
I doubt that but then again he can write what he likes, true or not. His readership will believe there are some "rank and file firefighters" running around questioning the need for such a tool true or not. Walters writes for the Sac Bee and is read by the hundreds of politicos in the capital city. A fair percentage of state level politicians read his word as fact and form opinion based on those slim facts.
These are the same people who fund Cal Fire.
Had Walters wanted to be fair he would have researched the issues surrounding the current state of firefighter aircraft nationwide. The Feds grounded the C-130 force due to a crash in 2002 and there are simply not enough (3,000 gallon capacity) P-3A/P-3B "Aerostar" Orion's to go around.
The decision by Governor Schwarzenegger and Cal Fire to sign the DC-10 Supertanker was made based on considerable testing and a dose of pragmatism. You can read CDF Director Ruben Grijalva's reasoning here.
The Chief sums up the Tanker 910 issue in his final sentence.
"The public safety, firefighter safety, and pilot safety issues, while not immediately measurable, may also be significant."
Nowhere in Dan Walters column was firefighter safety or any of the environmental (acreage saved) concerns mentioned.
Hopefully if the California Assembly or Senate ever debate this issue they read a little bit further than their favorite local columnist.
Tanker 910 Fact Sheet
Labels: 2007 fire season, DC-10 Supertanker, politics, Tanker 910
July 15, 2007
Cal Fire Chief Endorses DC-10 Supertanker
In a recent edition of his Chief's memo California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Director Ruben Grijalva discusses in detail why he signed a three year contract for use of the DC-10 Supertanker, Tanker 910.The Chief writes at length why he supports this all important firefighting weapon. Here are a few key highlights from his memo.
"in July of 2006, due to intense fire activity in southern California, an evaluation team was formed to determine the feasibility of incorporating the DC-10 into the fire action plan. After an evaluation process, it was determined that the DC-10 could be deployed safely and effectively. A Call When Needed (CWN) contract...."
What they found;
"The DC-10 laid down a continuous line of retardant more than fifty feet wide and .7 to .8 miles long per drop. It would require ten to twelve drops from the S2T to equal the length, and extreme accuracy from the pilots to match the continuity of line. The probability of gaps in the S2T line is very high and the width of the DC-10s drop could not be duplicated..."
Feds refuse to add to their aging fleet;
(See Feds. Kill 747 Supertanker)
"The necessity for this added resource is made more critical with the reduction in availability of the Federal Large Air Tanker (LAT) fleet. Since 2002, the number of LATs has been reduced from 44 to the current level of 18 aircraft. This is a 63% reduction. We are not aware of any planned relief for this shortage in the near future..."
Fire killer;
"The DC-10 drops .7 to .8 miles of retardant per drop, if the aircraft is deployed for a 7 hour day with just one drop per hour, it can directly protect or encircle 2,265 Acres per day..."
Al Gore and his crowd will embrace Tanker 910;
"... the amount of Green House Gas (GHG) emissions that were produced by State fires last year was over 5 million metric tons.....the savings on gas emissions achieved by dispatching the DC-10, the same 1/3 ration was used. That would be 1.5 million metric ton savings for the State and a 6 million ton savings overall. "
Finally;
"The potential benefits directly to the State by utilization of the DC-10 is estimated at $10,000,000 in reduced fire days, $6,800,000 in saved land and timber value, 119 structures saved annually, and the reduction of 1.5 million metric tons of GHG emissions. The public safety, firefighter safety, and pilot safety issues, while not immediately measurable, may also be significant."
Fantastic news for fire ground personnel. Tanker 910 will change the way wildfires are approached. While Director Grijalva did not touch on it I am sure his people are setting up classes at the Fire Academy for line officers to discuss strategies surrounding ground crew safety and best use guidelines.
Photo attribution Cal Fire as per instructions here.
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Labels: 10 Tanker, CDF, DC-10 Supertanker, Tanker 910
