Posted on 05/18/2004 9:49:26 PM PDT by Stoat
Just two years ago, the Hayman Fire roared through the Rockies, blackening 138,000 acres and destroying more than 130 homes. It cost roughly $240 million to fight. Did that fire have to grow to that size? Did that many homes have to burn? 7NEWS Investigator Tony Kovaleski has exposed a troubling trail of conflict and red tape inside the U.S. Forest Service.
Earlier this month, after years of problems, the Forest Service grounded its fleet of air tankers. 7NEWS asks: has the government wasted taxpayer money on outdated, dangerous and underperforming aircraft while ignoring bigger, faster and newer technology?
Twenty-three months have passed since the Hayman Fire and Ray and Linda White, who lost their home to the fire, are still angry.
"Bureaucracy and politics is what caused this to happen," Linda White said.
"They should have got the fire out over at Lake George where it started," Ray White said.
The fire destroyed their cabin and destroyed any confidence the couple had in the U.S. Forest Service.
"If it would have been jumped on those first two days, this never would have happened," Linda White said.
Criticism also comes from recognized aviation expert Bill Kauffman.
"The people from the Forest Service seem to have a vested interest in continuing to ineffectively fight fires," said Kauffman.
Following three fatal crashes of Forest Service aircraft back in 2002, a blue ribbon committee also criticized the Forest Service and its fleet, writing in its final report that "a number of potentially viable options were routinely dismissed as too expensive before being carefully examined."
"I would say it's almost criminal that the Forest Service has not brought over here five years ago or 10 years ago these Ilyushin 76s," Kauffman said.
The Ilyushin 76, a Russian waterbomber, is one of several supertankers that experts say can take aerial firefighting into a new era. They're planes that can deliver a liquid payload nearly four times larger then biggest plane used last year.
"It's a remarkable aircraft. It does a remarkable job and it could've been here for nine years fighting fires if it had not been for the hurdles placed in its way by the U.S. Forest Service," said Tom Robinson, who represents the Ilyushin 76.
Proponents of the Il-76 accuse the U.S. government of creating red tape to keep the plane from dousing fires. The Russians even offered the plane for the Hayman Fire.
In a letter obtained by 7NEWS, the city manager of Colorado Springs asked Gov. Bill Owens to cut through the bureaucracy and bring in the Il-76, writing, "It would be a shame to not have a tool such as this."
When asked what kind of difference the Il-76 would have made on the Hayman Fire, Robinson said, "It wouldn't have stopped the fire from becoming a fire, but it would've stopped it from being 90 percent as large as it (was)."
Tom Landon, who is with the U.S. Forest Service, laughs at the idea that the Il-76 could have save 90 percent of the homes burned in the Hayman Fire.
"There's not a catch-all tool out there that would have saved the homes there on the Hayman Fire," Landon said.
In the wake of the blue ribbon committee's criticism, the Forest Service says it's now seriously considering two super tankers -- a modified 747 and a modified DC-10.
But experts say its unlikely any super tanker will be approved to fly and fight fires this year.
"Why didn't they use it? What was there fear?" Linda White wondered. "They should have tried it, and it makes me angry that they didn't do it."
Families like the Whites are left to wonder what may have happened two years ago and what might happen this summer. A governor's spokesman said he did receive a letter from the Colorado Springs city manager but he has no record of responding to the request in any way.
Developers of the 747 are hoping to have the plane approved and ready to fight fires this year but that's only if they can get the green light from the U.S. Forest Service.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1133164/posts
If you would like to learn more about the amazing Ilyushin IL-76 aircraft and it's long history of worldwide successes in battling massive wildfires, be sure to go to:
www.waterbomber.com
One of my best friend works in office that sell these planes and others. They get harsh snap to reality of "free" market and bribery in US. Seem that one excuse is that planes use to much water...to fight fire...insanity.
That it is.
Talk about an international air-fair.
"insanity"
Can you really expect sanity from the kind of person who would be in the Forest Service today?
And given the all-round superiority -- and availability -- of the Russian plane, bribery looks very plausible.
It's the U.S. Forest Circus.
http://www.forestcircus.com/
Funny. Like your tag line.
Well, duh.
I didn't mean to say that your tag line was funny.
I meant to say "I like your tag line."
Sorry.
And then I addressed the post to myself instead of the person I was talking about. Duh twice.
The Forest Service turned down many offers of free heavy equipment and operators too. I offered a dozer and know of others who did the same.
Is your name???? - oh never mind - I think I know your
name. You were published in Slate or World Net Daily with
that D-9 problem you had with the Forest Service, yes?
At any rate, if you like your news in viddy and not
reading all the time, DenverChannel has kindly put the
clip up so you can watch it. The video portion is from
AirShows DownUnder, March, 1995, where I first worked
with the Russians. What a hoot that was, and intimidating
too.
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/index.html
Can you imagine going into an airshow tent with a bunch
of cosomonauts and test pilots staring at you - you not
knowing a word of Russian? And I was supposed to be working
for THEM?
Or how about going to a Russian party on a new jet
plane from Ilyushin, the IL-96, http://www.qsl.net/5ocean/il96-i.jpg
which President Putin uses, for a PARTY!
That's right, a PARTY for all the special people who
helped make the Russian presentation at that airshow
the success that it was.
The Metropolitain(?) of the Russian Orthodox Church of
Australia was there and there were the appropriate ceremonies. A real hoot! (But seriously, folks, quite an
honor and a priviledge.)
Channel 7 Melbourne was shocked - SHOCKED that when
I asked to bring them onboard to that party, the Russians
said 'sure' and they came aboard, cameras and all!
Hello everyone, thanks so much for all of your great comments, insights and links..it's those sorts of contributions that make Free Republic the Best site on the internet :-)
I should let you all know that we're extremely lucky to have among us JohnA, who is a Partner in Global Emergency Response and is contractually linked with Air Routing International, now a partnership
out of Houston, and Total Corporate Aviation Services Ltd, a private federal corporation, of
Canada, HQ in Calgary. JohnA is an expert in matters pertaining to wildfires, air tankers, and relevant Government policy.
In my experience it's been quite rare that a "definitive source" such as someone in JohnA's position is available in a public forum such as this and is able to field your questions. If you have friends or aquaintances who are either involved with or merely interested in wildland firefighting, air tankers or Government policy (and the accompanying shenanigans, abuse, corruption and political game-playing) I would urge you to send them over to this thread, as this is an opportunity to get definitive answers to your questions and comments.
Be sure to visit the Global Emergency Response website at:
www.waterbomber.com
Thanks again, Stoat.
Yes - please do visit our website.
We know Boeing has been hitting it up - hard -,
especially the videos, in May.
Boeing has captured 80% of sales of a/c to the
CIS and has $1.3B invested in Russia, last time
I looked. Among their closer associations is the
strategic alliance with our joint venture partner,
Ilyushin Aviation.
Okay, so what's the status?
Is common sense ever going to defeat the Forest Circus and get some Ilyushins over here?
My sense is this will take more campaigning.
Not too much more though.
No, I wasn't the D-9. I didn't hear about that one. I am certain that the numbers were legion.
Yes, it's "Colorado" of course ;-)
I wish this administration would do some serious house cleaning in the USFS and NPS. Their incompetency knows no bounds.
Is there a bureaucracy that *doesn't* need a top-to-bottom purge?
Dubya has hacked me off on a number of occasions, and one perennial issue is his refusal to clean house.
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