Sawtooth Fire
Moderators: sky's the limit, sepia, Sulako, North Shore, Rudder Bug
-
cedar tree
- Rank 3
- Posts: 131
- Joined: Mon Apr 18, 2005 7:18 pm
Sawtooth Fire
Looks like the DC10 retardant bomber is finally on a real mission. The California State put the tanker on a daily contract a few days ago. Hopefully some pictures will show up soon. Will the boys get low enough to put the red stuff in the right place? Sounds like the pilots flying have very little "fire time."
Intellivision made me a pilot.
This is what I could find:
DC-10 won't be used today
July 17, 4:13 p.m.
A modified DC-10 that made its inaugural run here yesterday as an air tanker used to drop 12,000 gallons of fire retardant will not be used today, officials said this afternoon.
Fire officials believe there is enough humidity in the air, officials said.
Yesterday's drop placed retardant between the Sawtooth blaze and the Big Bear area.
Ruben Grijalda, state Fire Marshal and director of CDF, said the supertanker left a line of retardant on the Sawtooth blaze 24 feet wide and 1.3 miles long.
"It helped cut a line that was very inaccessible to hand crews," he said.
The DC-10 cost $26,000 per hour to operate and $1 per gallon of retardant, or about $24,000 for two passes. That would be about $76,000.
The DC-10 may not always make sense when it comes to cost, time or effectiveness, he said.
"It's another tool in the toolbox that can be used when deemed effective," he said.
-- The Desert Sun
DC-10 super-tanker delivered 'impressive' results
July 16, 4:44 p.m.
California forestry officials, battling the San Bernardino fires northwest of Palm Springs, were “very pleased with the result” this afternoon of the giant DC-10 super-tanker that twice today dumped retardant on California’s largest working wildfire.
The airplane, a modified commuter commercial jet with a 12,000-gallon tank attached to its underbelly, was used on the Sawtooth Complex Fire northwest of Yucca Valley this afternoon.
Preliminary reviews from the skies by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Aviation Management left officials “very pleased with the result,” spokesman Capt. Jesse Estrada told The Desert Sun around 4:30 p.m.
The tanker left “very impressive coverage – a very long line of retardant” – in the area in which it dropped, Estrada said.
It returned to its base in Victorville to reload and make a second drop, he said. It made two drops today.
Firefighters on the ground are making their way to the drop zone this afternoon to further evaluate the DC-10’s effectiveness.
The DC-10 holds about 10 times more water or fire retardant than the standard S-2T fixed-wing tanker craft used by state forestry officials.
The aviation personnel will discuss whether to continue using the DC-10 with incident commanders on both the Sawtooth and Millard fires.
“Everybody went into this with an open mind,” Estrada said. “And we are pretty pleased with what appears to be the result.”
A four-member flight crew aboard Tanker 910 is working in coordination with CDF support personnel to drop the retardant.
Three separate external tanks with a capacity of 12,000 U.S. gallons of retardant were utilized during the two separate flights by Tanker 910.
The operational objective is for the aircraft to build a buffer of retardant between the Sawtooth Fire and the community of Big Bear while allowing ground crews to get in position to build a containment line.
The DC-10 is a 31-year-old former passenger jet that was jointly developed over the past four years by Omni Air International of Tulsa, Okla., and Cargo Conversions LLC, a freighter conversion company based in San Carlos, California.
-- The Desert Sun
First-time use of modified DC-10 in wildfire fight confirmed
July 16, 4:24 p.m.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection is confirming that is used a modified DC-10 to drop 12,000 gallons of fire retardant on the Sawtooth fire.
A four-member flight crew aboard Tanker 910 is working in coordination with CDF support personnel to drop the retardant.
The aircraft was deployed at the request of CDF Incident Command Team 8, which has been coordinating firefighting efforts on the blaze, according to a release.
“This is the first time in history a DC-10 had been utilized in a firefighting capacity,” said Director Ruben Grijalva of CDF.
“We are always examining firefighting tools that can help save lives and property. Once our staff certified the aircraft we made it available to the Incident Command Team.”
Here’s what the rest of the release stated:
Incident Commander Rick Henson made a tactical decision that the Sawtooth Fire would be an appropriate and conducive venue to test the aircraft due to the terrain, weather and fire conditions.
“I was fortunate enough to watch this first live fire drop from a nearby helicopter and was very impressed with how much retardant was dropped,” said Henson.
“I immediately directed my staff to evaluate the retardant’s coverage on the ground. Preliminary reports indicate the DC-10 retardant met the objective of slowing the fire’s spread.”
Three separate external tanks with a capacity of 12,000 U.S. gallons of retardant were utilized during the two separate flights by Tanker 910. The operational objective is for the aircraft to build a buffer of retardant between the Sawtooth Fire and the community of Big Bear while allowing ground crews to get in position to build a containment line.
Tanker 910 was certified or “carded” today by the CDF Aviation Management Unit after the aircraft was tested repeatedly with numerous drops in the desert as well as runs on higher elevations.
Tanker 910 is certified by the FAA and meets the same maintenance standards as passenger-carrying planes of the identical size.
The DC-10 is a 31-year-old former passenger jet that was jointly developed over the past four years by Omni Air International of Tulsa, Oklahoma and Cargo Conversions LLC, a freighter conversion company based in San Carlos, California.
A demonstration of Tanker 910 was conducted in late March for state fire officials and the media at Southern California Logistics Airport in Victorville, formerly the George Air Force Base, located in the Mojave Desert.
Tanker 910 was leased today by CDF at a cost of $52,000.
Lightning started the Sawtooth Fire on July 9 and it has since consumed 62,000 acres and destroyed 58 residences and 171 outbuildings in San Bernardino County. The fire has caused one fatality and 12 minor injuries.
Property loss is estimated at $8,702,000.
Currently, in addition to the DC-10, there are 85 fire crews; 206 engines; 8 airtankers; 15 helicopters and 35 bulldozers battling the blaze, with 60 percent containment.
The Sawtooth Fire is being managed by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Incident Command Team 8 in conjunction with CDF, San Bernardino County Fire, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s office, U.S. Forest Service, CHP, LA County Fire, CA Dept. of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Red Cross, and the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.
DC-10 won't be used today
July 17, 4:13 p.m.
A modified DC-10 that made its inaugural run here yesterday as an air tanker used to drop 12,000 gallons of fire retardant will not be used today, officials said this afternoon.
Fire officials believe there is enough humidity in the air, officials said.
Yesterday's drop placed retardant between the Sawtooth blaze and the Big Bear area.
Ruben Grijalda, state Fire Marshal and director of CDF, said the supertanker left a line of retardant on the Sawtooth blaze 24 feet wide and 1.3 miles long.
"It helped cut a line that was very inaccessible to hand crews," he said.
The DC-10 cost $26,000 per hour to operate and $1 per gallon of retardant, or about $24,000 for two passes. That would be about $76,000.
The DC-10 may not always make sense when it comes to cost, time or effectiveness, he said.
"It's another tool in the toolbox that can be used when deemed effective," he said.
-- The Desert Sun
DC-10 super-tanker delivered 'impressive' results
July 16, 4:44 p.m.
California forestry officials, battling the San Bernardino fires northwest of Palm Springs, were “very pleased with the result” this afternoon of the giant DC-10 super-tanker that twice today dumped retardant on California’s largest working wildfire.
The airplane, a modified commuter commercial jet with a 12,000-gallon tank attached to its underbelly, was used on the Sawtooth Complex Fire northwest of Yucca Valley this afternoon.
Preliminary reviews from the skies by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Aviation Management left officials “very pleased with the result,” spokesman Capt. Jesse Estrada told The Desert Sun around 4:30 p.m.
The tanker left “very impressive coverage – a very long line of retardant” – in the area in which it dropped, Estrada said.
It returned to its base in Victorville to reload and make a second drop, he said. It made two drops today.
Firefighters on the ground are making their way to the drop zone this afternoon to further evaluate the DC-10’s effectiveness.
The DC-10 holds about 10 times more water or fire retardant than the standard S-2T fixed-wing tanker craft used by state forestry officials.
The aviation personnel will discuss whether to continue using the DC-10 with incident commanders on both the Sawtooth and Millard fires.
“Everybody went into this with an open mind,” Estrada said. “And we are pretty pleased with what appears to be the result.”
A four-member flight crew aboard Tanker 910 is working in coordination with CDF support personnel to drop the retardant.
Three separate external tanks with a capacity of 12,000 U.S. gallons of retardant were utilized during the two separate flights by Tanker 910.
The operational objective is for the aircraft to build a buffer of retardant between the Sawtooth Fire and the community of Big Bear while allowing ground crews to get in position to build a containment line.
The DC-10 is a 31-year-old former passenger jet that was jointly developed over the past four years by Omni Air International of Tulsa, Okla., and Cargo Conversions LLC, a freighter conversion company based in San Carlos, California.
-- The Desert Sun
First-time use of modified DC-10 in wildfire fight confirmed
July 16, 4:24 p.m.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection is confirming that is used a modified DC-10 to drop 12,000 gallons of fire retardant on the Sawtooth fire.
A four-member flight crew aboard Tanker 910 is working in coordination with CDF support personnel to drop the retardant.
The aircraft was deployed at the request of CDF Incident Command Team 8, which has been coordinating firefighting efforts on the blaze, according to a release.
“This is the first time in history a DC-10 had been utilized in a firefighting capacity,” said Director Ruben Grijalva of CDF.
“We are always examining firefighting tools that can help save lives and property. Once our staff certified the aircraft we made it available to the Incident Command Team.”
Here’s what the rest of the release stated:
Incident Commander Rick Henson made a tactical decision that the Sawtooth Fire would be an appropriate and conducive venue to test the aircraft due to the terrain, weather and fire conditions.
“I was fortunate enough to watch this first live fire drop from a nearby helicopter and was very impressed with how much retardant was dropped,” said Henson.
“I immediately directed my staff to evaluate the retardant’s coverage on the ground. Preliminary reports indicate the DC-10 retardant met the objective of slowing the fire’s spread.”
Three separate external tanks with a capacity of 12,000 U.S. gallons of retardant were utilized during the two separate flights by Tanker 910. The operational objective is for the aircraft to build a buffer of retardant between the Sawtooth Fire and the community of Big Bear while allowing ground crews to get in position to build a containment line.
Tanker 910 was certified or “carded” today by the CDF Aviation Management Unit after the aircraft was tested repeatedly with numerous drops in the desert as well as runs on higher elevations.
Tanker 910 is certified by the FAA and meets the same maintenance standards as passenger-carrying planes of the identical size.
The DC-10 is a 31-year-old former passenger jet that was jointly developed over the past four years by Omni Air International of Tulsa, Oklahoma and Cargo Conversions LLC, a freighter conversion company based in San Carlos, California.
A demonstration of Tanker 910 was conducted in late March for state fire officials and the media at Southern California Logistics Airport in Victorville, formerly the George Air Force Base, located in the Mojave Desert.
Tanker 910 was leased today by CDF at a cost of $52,000.
Lightning started the Sawtooth Fire on July 9 and it has since consumed 62,000 acres and destroyed 58 residences and 171 outbuildings in San Bernardino County. The fire has caused one fatality and 12 minor injuries.
Property loss is estimated at $8,702,000.
Currently, in addition to the DC-10, there are 85 fire crews; 206 engines; 8 airtankers; 15 helicopters and 35 bulldozers battling the blaze, with 60 percent containment.
The Sawtooth Fire is being managed by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Incident Command Team 8 in conjunction with CDF, San Bernardino County Fire, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s office, U.S. Forest Service, CHP, LA County Fire, CA Dept. of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Red Cross, and the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.
[/img]
