U.S. Forest Service acknowledges air tanker shortage, vows additional fleet on the way despite tight budget
U.S. Forest Service acknowledges air tanker shortage, vows additional fleet on the way despite tight budget
11 September 2013
published by www.kivitv.com
USA — A wildland firefighting air tanker takes off Wednesday afternoon from the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise. One of only 11 contracted through the U.S. Forest Service, down from 44 just a decade ago.
These aircrafts, carrying thousands of gallons of retardant help slow the spread of wildfires. Earlier this summer, 19 hotshots from Prescott, Arizona died, trapped by changing winds as the flames raced toward them.
Some experts suggest had a tanker shown up, t may have saved lives.
“Well, there were six air tankers ordered,” Jim Paxon with the Arizona State Forestry Division said. “We got one committed, but he didn’t get here.”
Officials with NIFC say they don’t know whether the tanker would have changed the outcome on June 30.
“We aren’t sure what the causes of that fire are, therefore we can’t speculate whether it an additional aircraft, a crew would have made a difference,” NIFC spokeswoman Jennifer Jones said.
The U.S. Forest Service acknowledges the shortage of tankers puts a strain on firefighters both in the air and on the ground. Most of the tankers flying over wildfires this season are decades old museum pieces.
“The average age is more than 50 years old,” Jones said. “As those aircraft age it increases the maintenance cost and also the risk to safety. The new next generation air tankers will fly faster and they will carry more retardant than our current fleet.
In February of 2012, well aware of tight budgets representatives from NIFC and the forest service went before Congress asking for between 18 – 28 modernized air tankers, costing in the neighborhood of $600,000,000.
