Texas Guard continues wildfire suppression support (Review of assistance)

Texas National Guard Public Affairs via email | 8 January 2006 | CMSgt. Gonda Moncado

[Racehorse]

CAMP MABRY, Austin, Texas (Jan. 8, 2006) – Since the statewide disaster declaration by Gov. Rick Perry on 27 Dec, 2005, the Texas Army and Air National Guard have been working in coordination with the United Stated Forest Service and a number of other local, state and federal agencies.

In total the Texas National Guard has been supporting the wildfire suppression with seven UH-60 Black Hawks from Austin, Brownwood and San Antonio, and four CH-47 Chinooks from Grand Prairie, along with three UH-60 Black Hawks with 18 crew members from Louisiana.

On Dec. 28 two of the Texas Black Hawks dropped forty-seven 990-gallon buckets of water to support firefighters on the ground in southeast Travis County. On Dec. 29 two Black Hawks flew 12.2 hours and dropped 47 buckets of water.

Dec. 30 saw a temporary reprieve, but on Dec. 31 the Department of Emergency Management requested four bulldozers and tractor trailers from the Engineer Brigade to assist in Abilene, Texas. Nineteen Army Guard and two Air Guard personnel were deployed.

One refueler was requested Jan. 1, to support personnel in the Abilene area, and the aviation department flew 9.6 hours with seventeen 2,000-gallon buckets of water dropped on the fire in Eastland County. The armory in Stephenville, Texas, was designated as an operating base.

Jan. 2 was an extremely heavy flying day with three Black Hawks and two Chinooks flying in support of ground personnel in the fire near Carbon, Texas, which resulted in 62.7 flight hours and 417 buckets dropped. Both the 660- and 2,000-gallon buckets were used.

On Jan. 3 the helicopters were involved in mop-ups in Carbon and new fires near Huckabay, Texas, resulting in 13.3 hours of flying and 39 buckets of water dropped.

Jan. 4 weather conditions improved slightly, but on Jan. 5 a fire broke out in the area near Bulverde and Evans roads north of San Antonio, and two Black Hawks flew 5.7 hours with 20 buckets of water dropped.

Jan. 6 was a maintenance day, but Jan. 7 was another windy day that resulted in fires in Cedar Creek and Puloxy, Texas, and three Black Hawks flew 4.1 hours and dropped 25 buckets of water.

Another important player in the wildfires has been the Civil Air Patrol, which flew 36 hours. The CAP spotted eight fires, and because they were observed early, they were immediate contained.

Burn bans are in effect all across Texas, and the United States Forest Service is asking the public to be vigilant and report fires even when they may appear to be minor. Since Dec. 26, some 293 wildfires have broken out; 249,778 acres have burned, and 244 homes were lost, but 588 homes were saved. Seven mass evacuations have had to take place involving almost 5,000 citizens. By Saturday all Texas wildfires have been contained.

There are no significant changes in weather conditions in the immediate forecast; as a matter of fact, similar weather conditions are expected to continue until April. Whatever the situation, Texas Army and Air National Guard personnel will continue to support firefighters as long as it takes under Governor Perry’s guidance to “attack fires with overwhelming force.”