As summer drags on, a familiar scene plays out almost every day somewhere in Texas: Dry brush ignites and flames race across fields and hillsides, sometimes destroying homes. Wildfires fueled by extreme drought and triple-digit heat have left a scorching mark, burning more than 625,000 acres so far this year statewide.
Most days, the roar of engines on a red-stained ramp in West Texas signals the start of a new fight against the flames. The Abilene Regional Airport serves as the launch pad for one of the Texas A&M Forest Service’s air tanker bases.
“We’ve flown the most retardant out of Abilene, more retardant here than anywhere else in the country at this point,” said Mike Pedersen, the man in charge of the base.
Pedersen invited NBC 5 to tag along and see the fast-moving operation that launches aerial attacks in Texas and surrounding states like Oklahoma and Louisiana.
“It's like a pitstop, NASCAR,” Pedersen explained. “We just get them and load them. Get them on their way.”
NBC 5 is taking viewers onto the ramp and into the planes, as ground crews and pilots share a day in their lives at the Abilene tanker base.
Photos: Texas Wildfire Air Tanker Base
TEMPORARY HOME
“We don't have any permanent facilities here,” said Pedersen. “We're using trailers, mixed-match tanks and pumps.”
Three trailers sit just a few yards from where the planes park on the ramp. They're flanked by tanks for the materials that make up the retardant, as well as portable toilets.
“We're making it work. What we really need is a permanent facility with more ramp space, so that we can better serve the people of Texas and protect communities,” said Pedersen.
Right now, the base operates with a single pump, and it takes about 7 minutes to load the planes and get them out of the pit. A permanent facility could provide more pumps and pits to speed up the process.
“It would be a huge win for the state of Texas,” explained pilot Aaron Knobloch, “It would cut down on some of the time it takes for us to get in and out.”
The airport is also on board with the idea of a permanent facility. Officials said they’ve already identified a potential spot to build on, but they need funding. The next step is getting state lawmakers to greenlight funding during the 2023 legislative session.
WHAT'S IN THE TANKS?
When tankers make their drops, they send thousands of gallons of retardant raining down near the fire lines. There’s no denying it looks pretty dramatic, but it’s not something you want to see from below. Each gallon of mixed retardant weighs about 9 pounds.
“It does hurt if it hits you,” warned Adam Turner, a Texas A&M Forest Service spokesman. “We spend a significant amount of time coordinating between ourselves, local volunteers, and then trying to make sure that we if we see any citizens or civilians out floating around along the fire, we have to make sure that they're out of the way.”
Given the intense color, it’s no surprise the drops can leave behind stains as they slow down fires, but there’s a hidden benefit that might surprise you. Find out 5 Things to Know about fire retardant in the video below:
