CAP & forest fires

Started by RiverAux, August 03, 2007, 03:09:46 AM

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RiverAux

For those who questioned using CAP for forest fire missions:
From CAP News Online:
QuoteS. Dakota Wing helps monitor forest fire

Aircrews' fire-spotting flights top 2 dozen
August 02, 2007

Lt. Col. Mike Marek
Public Affairs Officer
North Central Region 

SOUTH DAKOTA -- The South Dakota Wing provided important fire-spotting capabilities in the early stages of a Black Hills forest fire that killed one person, injured two firefighters and destroyed 33 houses.

After lightning sparked the Alabaugh Canyon fire July 7, South Dakota Wing members made frequent fire observation flights in the early stages of the fire under the organization's memorandum of understanding with the state until the size of the blaze prompted the U.S. Forest Service agencies to bring in its own aircraft.

The wing essentially acted as an Air Attack platform for state fire officials to direct the aerial attack on the fire, using helicopters and single-engine air tankers, said Col. Mike Beason, wing commander.

"The state appreciates the availability of CAP," Beason said. "They had us on immediate alert status since July 1st so they could get airborne rapidly when a fire would break out."

The South Dakota Wing has made over two dozen flights since early May, logging many hours in the fire-detection role.

"Primarily, the state has had us fly fire-spotting sorties," Beason said, "especially after lightning storms, but also during the Fourth of July fireworks season."


RogueLeader

Awesome, way to go SDWG. 
I guess all it really takes a WG/CC to get an understanding w/ the state, and you're good to go.
WYWG DP

GRW 3340

SoCalCAPOfficer

I have tried to get our wing to do this and have met with very little interest.  Seems like a natural for us.
Daniel L. Hough, Maj, CAP
Commander
Hemet Ryan Sq 59  PCR-CA-458

stillamarine

We fly thses type of missions everyday, sometimes twice a day.

SoCal,

From what I understand the way that wildfire firefighting is run in your state (privately) you won't see it.
Tim Gardiner, 1st LT, CAP

USMC AD 1996-2001
USMCR    2001-2005  Admiral, Great State of Nebraska Navy  MS, MO, UDF
tim.gardiner@gmail.com

SARPilotNY

In California and many other states the USFS and Cal Fire (CDF) use private contractors to fly aerial recon, Airco, lead plane, air attack, and air tankers.  They must be used first and only until they are exhausted can other resources be used.  Next, the aircraft and crews must be carded.  I think CAP would have a long way to go to be utilized.  The Cedar fire, California's largest, Fire would not allow the Navy to fly the fire eventhough the had been trained and equipped with Bambi-buckets.
CAP member 30 + years SAR Pilot, GTM, Base staff

RiverAux

Depending on the lead agency for the fire, SARPilot is right that there can be some credentialling issues.  I wouldn't expect to see CAP involved in many fires that the feds are in charge of due to some pretty strict procedures for them.  But for most fires (or fire spotting missions) that are under state control, this isn't as big a deal. 

stillamarine

Our fire patrol missions are performed for the AF, as it is strictly performed on an Air Force Reservation.

Earlier this year when the had the big fire going in the eastern part of the state, the State Forestry guys pulled thier AC from this area and sent it over there. The State entered an agreement with AF Forestry guys here and we flew coverage over this part of the state, we still billed normally and the AF billed the state from the way it was explained to me.
Tim Gardiner, 1st LT, CAP

USMC AD 1996-2001
USMCR    2001-2005  Admiral, Great State of Nebraska Navy  MS, MO, UDF
tim.gardiner@gmail.com

SoCalCAPOfficer

All I was talking about was fire patrol during the worst of the fires season.  Our squadron shares a base with CDF, we use part of their facilities, it just seemed like a natural situation.   However, when I asked about it at UCC it got shot down fast.
Daniel L. Hough, Maj, CAP
Commander
Hemet Ryan Sq 59  PCR-CA-458

RiverAux

I think there shouldn't be any problem with doing general patrols looking for fires that are then reported to the appopriate agency.  Where it would get dicier is if you're using the CAP plane as an active part of the operation to bring the fire under control, especially if other aircraft are being utilized.  Air-air collisions are a major issue on wildfires. 

0

After a wild-fire is located only business CAP planes should have in the area is to help find and evactuate people.

1st Lt Ricky Walsh, CAP
Boston Cadet Squadron
NER-MA002 SE, AEO & ESO

stillamarine

Quote from: NERMA002 Safety on August 03, 2007, 06:30:41 PM
After a wild-fire is located only business CAP planes should have in the area is to help find and evactuate people.

We take more of an active role. We are responsible for locating the fire, dirceting fire crews on to the scene, and helping to direct fire operations (ie telling where hotspots are, where the fire may be jumping the line etc). We also take photos to document the fire and to help in planning operations.
Tim Gardiner, 1st LT, CAP

USMC AD 1996-2001
USMCR    2001-2005  Admiral, Great State of Nebraska Navy  MS, MO, UDF
tim.gardiner@gmail.com

Flying Pig

Here in Ca....Fighting fires is BIG business, a multi million dollar business.  We arent going to get a piece of that action.  Nor are these companies going to allow us to do it for free.  We are a threat to them, not a "resource". I gaurantee the private fire industry here is has more pull than CAP could ever imagine.

RiverAux

More CAP firefighting AND helping the AF -- a twofer!  Outstanding response time by SD Wing
From CAP news online:
QuoteS. Dakota aircrew responds to AFB call for help

Wing members photograph massive grass fire at Ellsworth
August 06, 2007


Smoke saturates the air above an extensive grass fire at Ellsworth Air Force Base, as photographed by a South Dakota Wing aircrew at the base commander's request.

Col. Mike Beason
Commander
South Dakota Wing

SOUTH DAKOTA -- The South Dakota Wing encountered an unusual experience July 9 when officials from Ellsworth Air Force Base called on the wing commander, Col. Mike Beason, for help.   

"I received a call from the director of the base battle staff," Beason recalled. "They asked if we could launch an immediate photo flight to take pictures of a fire on the base. I knew they were in the middle of an exercise and assumed this was to be part of their exercise, something we've been coordinating for several months. 

"But then they told me this was a real fire."   

Beason coordinated with his director of operations, Capt. Eric Hineman, and a flight was launched within an hour. By this time the grass fire had been burning about three hours, spreading over 2,000 acres of grassland, and was nearly extinguished. 

The South Dakota Wing crew -- Hineman and Lt . Col. Gary Hewett and Capt. Jason Depew of the Rushmore Composite Squadron -- responded quickly and had photos to the Air Force within three hours of the initial call.   

"This mission demonstrated to the local Air Force officials the rapid response capability of CAP," Hewett said.   

Ellsworth officials appreciated the photos and used them to contact land owners off base the following day to explain their intentions for dealing with fire loss.

The new Ellsworth Wing commander, Col. Scott Vander Hamm, expressed his gratitude just four days later when speaking at the North Central Region encampment's award banquet.   

"The capability of CAP to assist us with this recent fire will help us immensely in detailing the damage to individual landowners. We have given the photos to our civil engineers and legal officers to determine damage to owners," Vander Hamm told the cadets and senior members at the banquet.   

Beason thought the mission marked the first time Ellsworth officials had used CAP in anything other than a search capacity.   

"This will cement our relationships for a long time and aid in obtaining future missions from them," he said.