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The OTHER kind of Fire!

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  • The OTHER kind of Fire!

    So, I was at my house the other day and heard some sirens. So I looked out my front door and saw a plume of smoke in the forest about 4 miles away. So, being ever mindful of the fact that I was falling into the gawker category, I jumped in my truck to see what kind of fire fighting equipment I may see in the air. This is what I saw. A Cobra dipping water out of the lake then flying up and over the hill to lay it on the fire. Then a Huey came in to do the same. Then, a PBY, (shades of the movie Always) came in and layed down a huge amount of water, more helicopters, 3 turbine ag cats, (or whatever they were, just like the ones in another thread with retardent), then the PBY again. I sat there for probably two hours watching the aerial ballet play out before my eyes. The PBY's are based at Deer Park airport North of Spokane. The most impressive thing was the effect the PBY had on the fire. Every time he dropped a load, the smoke would drop off considerably. Unfortunately, he was filling up at Silver Lake about 10 miles from where I was so I didn't get to watch that evolution. And yes, he was running his siren as he came in for the drop. Pretty cool stuff none the less. Then the Sheriff made me leave
    Attached Files
    Never mind. Maybe next year

  • #2
    Re: The OTHER kind of Fire!

    great pictures!

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: The OTHER kind of Fire!

      Hey, I was in Spokane that day... Had early dinner at Anthony's and saw the PBY come over downtown at about 800-1000' turning in for a run on the fire. Awesome sight.

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      • #4
        Re: The OTHER kind of Fire!

        Nice shots, Bill (especially considering the smoky conditions). I've had a few chances in my travels to watch and occasionally photograph aerial firefighting ops -- always a fascinating business.

        Neal

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        • #5
          Re: The OTHER kind of Fire!

          Bill, which fire was that? The Marshall series of fires along the railroad tracks? I live about 6 miles North of Fairchild AFB.

          Chris getting ready for Reno but taking a short motorcycle trip to Mt. St. Helens for 4 days....

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          • #6
            Re: The OTHER kind of Fire!

            Originally posted by Coyote Chris
            Bill, which fire was that? The Marshall series of fires along the railroad tracks? I live about 6 miles North of Fairchild AFB.

            Chris getting ready for Reno but taking a short motorcycle trip to Mt. St. Helens for 4 days....
            Hey Chris,
            It was at Fish Lake, on the Spokane-Cheney Road. It was about 65 acres and you could almost call it part of the Marshall complex. Close enough anyways. I think they determined it was most likely caused by another train. I get to take a little bike trip myself. I'm flying down to Boise to pick up my bike and riding home through Salmon Idaho on up through Missoula then home.
            Bill (aka> Air Race Addict)
            Never mind. Maybe next year

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            • #7
              Re: The OTHER kind of Fire!

              Originally posted by wingman
              Nice shots, Bill (especially considering the smoky conditions). I've had a few chances in my travels to watch and occasionally photograph aerial firefighting ops -- always a fascinating business.

              Neal
              Thanks Neal. I wish I had Victor's camera though. That was one of the few times I really got to sit down and watch this kind of thing. First for the PBY for sure. It is very interesting how they timed all of the different drops.
              Never mind. Maybe next year

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              • #8
                Re: The OTHER kind of Fire!

                Hey Bill, Hope you avoided the smoke over to our east...I usually go to
                the Bighorns of Wyoming on my bike right before riding to Reno but this year I went to Mt. St Helens and got perfect weather for camping, riding and shooting pics....

                Two weeks and I ride south!
                Section 3 forever!!!!!!!
                Chris

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                • #9
                  Re: The OTHER kind of Fire!

                  In the late 80s there was a fire in the hills that seperated Orange County from the area south of Corona where I lived. We could watch the flames from my backyard. We went to Reno for a week and came back and you coukd still watch the fire from my backyard. CDF really knew how to manage a fire.
                  Rich

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                  • #10
                    Re: The OTHER kind of Fire!

                    ....speaking of fire-fighting PBY's....

                    In the late 90's there was a red PBY fighting fires in Southern California. I saw it last at the March Air Show and spoke to the fellow who owned her, who was facing losing her at the time as he couldn't afford to keep her. He said he was going to try and go to Florida and get contracts there, as things had been taken over by bigger companies in SoCal. After that, I never saw her again, and nobody seems to know what happened to her.

                    Anyone know who this was, did he hang onto the plane...and where is she now?

                    Randolph

                    PS- The air tanker base in San Bernardino is great, sending out planes all over the area. At least I get to see them in action each fire season...!

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                    • #11
                      Re: The OTHER kind of Fire!

                      the Catalina crashed while skimming a lake to reload the tanks, if i remember the nose gear doors caved in and it flipped over, both crew were ok. i think it was called fire cat.

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