Smoke on the horizon? 302nd Airlift Wing readies for 2009 wildland fire season

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Daniel Butterfield, Tech. Sgt. David D. Morton and Senior Airman Stephen J. Collier
  • 302nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. --  (Editor's note: The following article was printed in the Summer 2009 Front Range Flyer magazine, a quarterly publication produced by the 302nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs office).

The predictions are in for the 2009 wildland fire season and the experts have revealed what many in the 302nd Airlift Wing have guessed: this year's fire season may not be any easier to combat.

Work has been on-going for months to prepare the four Air Force Military Airborne Firefighting System airlift wings for another battle. During that time, the 302nd AW and its Air National Guard counterparts conducted annual certification missions in concert with the U.S. Forest Service. The annual certification is integral to upgrading trainees, testing both ground and flight crews as well as certifying the Forest Service's, or state agency's lead aircraft. That preparation is crucial in the event aircrews and maintainers are called upon to defend American citizens and their property from the threat of deadly fire again this year. And from all indications, Reservists should be ready for the call.

"We start at the beginning of the season, reconfirming with each person, ensuring they are committed to the program," said Lt. Col. David Condit, 302nd AW chief of safety and MAFFS program coordinator for the Air Force Reserve. "Our members' availability and participation is expected. We ask them to make themselves available through the summer if they are needed. Also throughout the season we monitor fire conditions throughout the U.S. As conditions worsen, we identify individuals for availability for potential call up."

The experience of the 2008 activation to California showed Air Force leadership the 302nd AW can take a leadership role in MAFFS. That fact has moved MAFFS to one of the wing's key missions. Those members supporting MAFFS will be expected to perform long work days to receive, load and launch the C-130 Hercules. Because of the daunting workload placed on aircrews and maintainers alike, assigning "the best of the best" to the MAFFS mission is necessary.

Wildland fire season typically runs from May through November, but it's not uncommon for the distant, austere blazes to arrive early in the winter or spring months. This year has been no exception as a number of fires have already sprouted up throughout the country.

"We've already seen significant fire activity this year," said Colonel Condit. "Some areas of the country have experienced a very dry winter to include Texas and Northern California. It is very difficult to predict fire activity, but all forecasts so far indicate fire activity to be above average. Things look green now, but a few hot days can turn it all brown and ready to ignite."

One example of a local fire which scorched more than 6,000 acres happened March 5 at Ft. Carson. Explosives training in the spring there led to the fire which grew rapidly, feeding off dry brush. The fire's speed and intensity led Colorado state officials to call in civilian air tankers to help battle the blaze. Glenn Bartter, assistant center manager for the Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center, said "having aircraft staged is out of the ordinary for this time of year.

"Usually we don't staff air tankers or helicopters in the area until May," Mr. Bartter said during an interview with the local Colorado Springs Gazette newspaper. "Extreme conditions required us to move some resources into Colorado."

Colorado prepares

Each state has worked to ramp up their fire awareness and preparation activities earlier than normal. In Colorado alone, 420 fire departments in Colorado have registered their wildland firefighting resources with the state's forest service. That registration of information is entered into a national Resource Ordering and Statusing System database. This information can be crucial to local and regional firefighting coordinators if multiple fires are affecting a state at once, especially near population centers.

The state also boasts an assortment of firefighting resources. The Colorado State Forest Service maintains 16 wildland firefighting engines, loans 140 to fire departments, contracts and manages three single-engine air tankers and supports three 20-person Department of Corrections inmate crews for fire support. This is the standard for what is being seen as "an increased potential for fire activity," according to CSFS's Richard Homann.

The Colorado State Forest Service mission, according to Mr. Homann, is to provide for the stewardship of forest resources and to reduce related risks to life, property and the environment for the benefit of present and future generations. CSFS is tasked as the lead state agency for specific emergency support function as part of the Colorado Emergency Operations Plan.

To help battle any blazes, Mr. Homann, a 12-year veteran of CSFS, said it's critical for local, state and federal authorities to work closely and methodically to quell fires that flare up.

"In terms of public and firefighter safety, it's very critical to work together," he said. "When wildfire activity and the associated threat to life and property exceed the response capacity of the interagency fire community, military resources are accessed through either federal or state channels. Military resources are called in when there is, and has been, extreme fire activity or many fires occurring over an extended length of time."

Feds watch fires closely

As states like Colorado prepare their own resources to take on fires in their communities, they are also heavily reliant upon the U.S.'s interlaced and high-tech resources that monitor fire conditions throughout the country.

One of those agencies, the USFS's Predictive Services, is working to support multiple federal and state agencies with the most accurate and detailed fire predictions available. Predictive Services is a national interagency program with a staff of meteorologists, intelligence specialists and fire analysts located throughout the country.

The program's mission is simple: provide information, products and services to assist with wildland fire and resource decision making. That information gathering has led to disturbing fire predictions: portions of north and central Washington, western California and the western Great Lakes region are suffering from a drier-than-normal season, leading to an increased risk of wildland fire. Later in the summer, the organization also anticipates a significant fire potential across northern California.

Thomas Wordell, a 26-year analyst with the Predictive Services branch, sees nationally a significant fire potential.

"Our staff at the National Interagency Fire Center routinely briefs the National Multi-Agency Coordination Group, which consists of fire directors from various agencies as well as a permanent military liaison," Mr. Wordell said. "We work to keep the Department of Defense informed of the current wildland fire situation if the fire situation escalates to a point where a request for military assets may be required."

Colonel Condit added how strong the relationship is between the 302nd AW and federal and state organizations.

"Many of these relationships have been formalized and strengthened due to significant increase in political and public interest in the (MAFFS) program," the colonel said. "We also have fully integrated with the military command structure to ensure proper oversight and support."

U.S. Northern Command

When a wildland forest fire erupts, the first reaction may be to throw every available firefighter and aircraft at the blaze to combat and extinguish any and all possible threats to people and property.

This is not how the states or the federal government fights fires, though. A structured and planned response to most effectively combat wildland fires has been put in place through U.S. Northern Command. Many agencies, from the small town fire department to USNORTHCOM, are in the firefighting chain of command. Somewhere in between lays the men and women of the 302nd AW.

When a major wildland fire occurs, the affected state will work to contain the out-of-control blaze using its own resources.

"That is the preferred method; to exhaust all of that capability first and then bring in additional forces from the DoD if necessary," said Michael Kucharek, USNORTHCOM public affairs operations division chief. "California typically has their own resources along with the National Interagency Fire Center to bring some kind of mitigation effort to bear when the fires kick up."

Once a state runs out of resources, or looks to supplement resources, surrounding states or DoD assets may be called in to assist.

"When that happens, that is a support to civil authorities-type of civil mission," said Mr. Kucharek. "The 302nd AW, for instance, would be tapped through an air tasking order through an Air Expeditionary Group established by U.S. Northern Command in support of the National Interagency Fire Center."

Once the DoD is tapped for assistance, the AEG, formed by USNORTHCOM's Air Force component at Air Force North, cooperates with the current forces to do what is needed to bring the fire under control.

"In large part, we're taking our direction from NIFC because they're the ones that have a very keen sense of where those assets need to be," Mr. Kucharek said. "We'll plug into that federal effort as well as the state and local efforts."

Hurry up and wait

Above average was not a lightly used term in the summer of 2008. That's when the 302nd AW was called into action in late June to fight out-of-control fires across northern California that decimated the populated areas, driving many residents from their homes.

As 2009 continues, all Colonel Condit can do is monitor the nation's fire threats and wait for a phone call, requesting the 302nd AW for another battle with Mother Nature.

"The wing will provide our standard two-ship commitment as needed throughout the fire season," said Colonel Condit. "Last year we were the lead wing. This year the lead wing is the 146th AW of the California ANG. Our commitment for managing the program during the fire season will be reduced, but our crew and maintenance commitment is unchanged from previous seasons."

This year also makes way for a new weapon in the war on fire. MAFFS operators and maintainers have been working hard to train on the new MAFFS II system. The system, which is slated to phase out the 30-plus year old "legacy" MAFFS program, is self contained, more efficient at containing fires and provides flexibility to the Airmen charged with operating it.

"There are definitely some technical differences between the new MAFFS II and the legacy systems," said Senior Master Sgt. David Carey, 731st Airlift Squadron flight engineer instructor. "Not having to increase the aircraft drag with open cargo doors is certainly a plus. The new system makes the drop feel different since the retardant exits the aircraft out the left paratroop door only, creating an asymmetric push. The training at Tucson was more involved and hands-on to account for new gadgets and procedures."

In years past, the 302nd AW has fought fires in areas such as Utah, Oregon, California, Idaho, South Dakota and the well known 2002 Hayman fires located northwest of Colorado Springs, Colo. For 2009, the 302nd AW will be ready to go if and when needed.
"The 302nd AW is fully prepared to support federal needs in our civil support mission," Colonel Condit noted. "While our primary mission is a military one, our unique skills can be used to support the public when disaster strikes."

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