Southeast Arizona Zone. Wildfire Aviation Operations

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Vincent Baker
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1 Southeast Arizona Zone Wildfire Aviation Operations

2 Southeast Arizona Zone The western United States is divided into wildfire suppression zones. Each zone has its own interagency wildland fire fighting resources comprised of fire fighters and equipment from the federal, state, and tribal agencies within the Zone. The Southeast Arizona Zone extends from roughly south of the Gila River to the U.S. - Mexico border, and from east of Yuma to the Arizona - New Mexico border.

3 Southeast Arizona Zone Fire fighting aircraft operate over wildfires throughout the United States to protect public lands, natural resources, and private property. In southeast Arizona, state and federal agencies which use aircraft for wildland fire fighting include: Arizona State Forestry Bureau of Indian Affairs Bureau of Land Management Fish and Wildlife Service National Park Service U.S. Forest Service

4 Fire Fighting Aircraft Wildland fire agencies operate multiple types of aircraft for fire fighting. A variety of fixed and rotor wing aircraft fly to and from fires to drop fire suppressants, conduct aerial reconnaissance, and transport fire fighting personnel and cargo. Types of fire aircraft include

5 VLAT Very Large Airtanker McDonnell Douglas DC-10 Misha Oordijk airliners.net Airtankers drop fire suppressants such as water, foam, and retardant to limit a fire's spread.

6 LAT-Large Airtanker BAe-146/Avro RJ85A Tim Crippin - flickr McDonnell Douglas-81 Lockheed EC-130Q Tim Crippin - flickr Lockheed P2V Tim Crippin - flickr Louis DePaemelaere - One Mile High Photography

7 SEAT-Single Engine Airtanker Ayres Thrush Terry Humphrey Air Tractor 802 Pete Dobbins Pete Dobbins

8 Leadplane Beechcraft C90 Paul Filmer skippyscage photography Leadplanes guide airtankers through low level drops of fire suppresants.

Smokejumper Smokejumper aircraft transport

Mile High Photography USFS photo SHORTS SHERPA

9 Smokejumper Smokejumper aircraft transport fire personnel (Smokejumpers) and cargo to remote wildfires via parachute delivery. DHC TWIN OTTER Louis DePaemelaere - One Mile High Photography USFS photo SHORTS SHERPA C-23 (SD )

10 Aerial Coordination Aircraft Referred to as 'Air Attack', a variety of light twin engine aircraft are used to manage airspace over a wildfire and coordinate use of fire aircraft with fire fighters on the ground. Air Attack consists of an aircraft, pilot, and an aerial attack supervisor. Ponderosa Aviation - flickr (Click to watch an Air Attack at work over a wildfire)

11 Rotorcraft Bell UH-1H Sikorsky CH-54B Louis DePaemelaere - One Mile High Photography Pete Dobbins A variety of heavy, medium, and light helicopters drop water, deliver cargo, and transport personnel. Bell 407 Kari Greer kariphotos.com

Military and Law Enforcement/Rescue Aircraft

gov Photo by: Senior Airman Nichola Carzis www.

mil The Air National Guard and Arizona Department

12 Military and Law Enforcement/Rescue Aircraft Sikorsky UH-60 C-130H Photo by: Senior Airman Nichola Carzis The Air National Guard and Arizona Department Of Public Safety support wildland agencies as needed with aircraft for fire fighting. Bell 407 Mesa0789 Creative Commons

13 Aerial Fire Fighting Environment The flight environment at a wildfire is dynamic. Atmospheric conditions, aircraft activities and airspace requirements contribute to the complexity of a fighting a fire. Mark Harris gettyimages

Updrafts and downdrafts from the columns can produce extreme turbulence and strong

14 Weather Fires may develop convective columns similar to thunderstorms that shoot upwards several thousand feet. Updrafts and downdrafts from the columns can produce extreme turbulence and strong winds in and around a fire. Smoke from wildfires can cause visibility to drop to near zero. Outflow Ethan Fire Air Attack photo Inflow

15 Congested Airspace Eric Paul Zamora The Fresno Bee Air operations become complex when multiple fire fighting aircraft are active within a fire area.

16 Fire Traffic Area FIREFTA TRAFFIC AREA Diagram 2,500 AGL Controlling Aircraft Orbit 2500 AGL Minimum The Fire Traffic Area (FTA) provides for separation of fire aircraft over a wildland fire. Although the FTA is designed for wildland firefighting operations, the structure and communications requirements are patterned after Class D airspace. The FTA is unique to fire management agencies; it is not part of the National Airspace System and is used only when multiple fire fighting aircraft are operational over a fire. Airtankers typically drop at ' agl Airtankers Orbit 1500 AGL Minimum 1,500 AGL Airtanker Manuevering 1000 AGL Maximum 1,000 AGL Helicopter Operations 500 AGL Maximum 500 AGL Surface 5 nm 0 5nm

The flight restrictions provide a designated airspace to separate fire aircraft from civilian and military aviation.

17 Temporary Flight Restrictions Temporary Flight Restrictions are requested for a wildfire when aviation operations involve multiple fire fighting aircraft. The flight restrictions provide a designated airspace to separate fire aircraft from civilian and military aviation. TFRs generally extend 5 nautical miles from the center point of a fire and up to 3,000 feet above the highest terrain at a fire. Temporary Flight Restrictions may not exist over all wildfires when fire fighting aircraft are present.

Aerial Support Bases Airtanker Bases Helicopter Bases Airtanker bases support fire

Airtankers normally transit between a tanker base and wildfire at low altitudes.

operations and to speed the transport of personnel and supplies.

18 Aerial Support Bases Airtanker Bases Helicopter Bases Airtanker bases support fire fighting operations by supplying airtankers with fire suppressants. Airtankers normally transit between a tanker base and wildfire at low altitudes. Helicopter 'Helibases' are established close to a large wildfire to support wildfire operations and to speed the transport of personnel and supplies. Helicopters conduct low level flights between helibases and fires. WILDFIRE HELIBASE AIRTANKER BASE USFS - Plumas NF photo USFS - Custer Gallatin NF photo

19 Fire Retardant Drop Video courtesy of FireGroundPhotos.com (Video of an air tanker delivering fire retardant)

You can help our wildland aviation operations by watching for fire fighting aircraft and by maintaining safe distances from wildfires.

20 Wildfire Aviation Operations Fire pilots typically operate aircraft from a few hundred to a few thousand feet above ground level. They have to coordinate their actions with ground personnel, watch out for terrain, monitor fire activity, and remain aware of other aircraft. You can help our wildland aviation operations by watching for fire fighting aircraft and by maintaining safe distances from wildfires. To report a wildfire in southeast Arizona contact the Prescott Flight Service Station or Tucson Interagency Dispatch (24 hrs). For information on where to report fires outside southeast Arizona visit the Southwest Area Coordination Center website: Only you can prevent Aviation Mishaps Produced by Tucson Interagency Dispatch Center 2646 E. Commerce Center Place Tucson, Arizona

Table of Contents. How to interpret data within this report. How to Interpret Data 2. Executive Summary 4. Aviation Safety Accomplishments 5

Table of Contents. How to interpret data within this report. How to Interpret Data 2. Executive Summary 4. Aviation Safety Accomplishments 5 Table of Contents How to Interpret Data 2 Executive Summary 4 Aviation Safety Accomplishments 5 Statistical Summary 7 USFS Owned and/or Operated Statistics 14 Fixed-Wing (contract) Statistics 16 Airtanker