The U.S. Forest Service on Friday hosted a media tour of the operation, which was set up in mid-April in advance of wildfire season.
"With the past fire seasons we've had, we didn't want to take a chance of not having an operational air base," said Robby Cline, who is the airtanker base manager for the U.S. Forest Service.
The tankers, which have the capacity to carry up to 4,000 gallons of fire-retardant slurry, are usually based at the Rocky Mountain Metro Airport in Broomfield. But resurfacing of the main runway at that airport led to the need for a temporary relocation.
The Fort Collins-Loveland airport was selected because its runways are long enough to accommodate the tankers — and also because of its location.
"The difference between here and Broomfield is only 10 to 15 minutes," Cline said. "We're looking for the rapid response."
Other large airtanker bases are in Pueblo and Casper, Wyo.
In the event of a wildfire, airtankers will be loaded with the required load of retardant — which is mixed on site and stored in the same kind of tank used for fracking operations — and launch from the airport.
Depending on the distance from the base to the fire, a typical airtanker usually completes four drops before needing to refuel. In some cases, airtankers will be in and out of the airport all day to load up with retardant and return to the fire, according to the Forest Service.
The airtankers will be deployed to wildfires across the Front Range.
Story and photos: http://www.reporterherald.com
Tammy Williams, public affairs specialist with the U.S. Forest Service, explains Friday where airtankers would be stationed at the Fort Collins-Loveland Municipal Airport, which will be a base during wildfire season.
Robby Cline, air tanker base manager with the U.S. Forest Service, demonstrates Friday how retardant slurry is mixed for the temporary airtanker base set up at the Fort Collins-Loveland Municipal Airport.
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