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problems, the Forest Service grounded its fleet of air tankers. 7NEWS asks: has the government wasted taxpayer money on outdated, dangerous and underperforming aircraft while ignoring bigger, faster and newer technology?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.
"Not too much more though."
Probably not in time for this summer, I guess.
Too bad. It's shaping up to be another bad one.
Having travelled much, I explain to him how it is likely that US C-130 (tiny plane) maker bribe government office not to look at any...then he says...but how? Why? What of people's losses? Then I tell him: Do you really think that bureaocrats who sit in DC give damn about fires on other side of continenant...not their houses. He see's light after that.
Maybe they should go advertise in states affected, go to insurance company???
If a Red Tape ties all hands, I believe you can at
least expect a demo.
If pragmatism prevails, you may just get some
firefighting out of the Russians this season.
Two (2) EMERCOM IL-76s would have saved homes lost
in Los Alamos had it not been for 'tudes at the
higher levels of bureaucracy or perhaps beyond.
Paperwork must have been done to get those Russians
on the runway in 2000.
For a parallel argument in favor
of using the IL-76, consider how and
why the majestic Martin Mars waterbombers
were brought into service: http://www.vectorsite.net/avmars.html#m7
As well, consider the times and how and by whom
decisions were made in that case.
The Mars are North America's largest by
a long shot, but they are old, scoop only,
and use special fuel, not widely available.
The supertanker out of Oregon is claiming the
same big-volume liquids turf as the IL-76, but
takeoff-capable out of fewer runways than
the IL-76 if it is effective; not a given as this
tanker remains unproven.
"Two (2) EMERCOM IL-76s would have saved homes lost
in Los Alamos had it not been for 'tudes at the
higher levels of bureaucracy or perhaps beyond."
I hate it when that happens. There must be a special corner of Hell...
DenverChannel is reporting a HIGH degree of interest in
last Friday's piece. The battle will be escalated. The
people will get their chance to weigh in...and we know
what they will say.
I picked up on the problems with volunteer Cats
after reading this http://slate.msn.com/id/2066948
and participating in the chat accompanying that article.
That forum participation led to interest at World Net Daily.
So you just never know who you'll run into. I think the
Cat owner who volunteered his equipment and was refused
was named Keith Hamburger.
"The people will get their chance to weigh in."
'Bout time.
Nice photo.
Do you have a high-res version?
They already are at DenverChannel.
The more, the merrier.
Take a minute and add your 2 cents' worth
whydoncha?
http://www.nato.int/pictures/2002/020925b/b020925g.jpg
Post this one as a photo? This is from NATO, an exercise
NATO ran with the Russians' EMERCOM in '02. 60 Americans
were there.
My favorite photo: http://www.checksix-topshots.de/html/zeltweg_2000_-_il-76_firebombe.html
credit: Robert Kysela - Austria
To connect with this one, watch the DenverChannel
item again. This is one of the photos the female
homeowner is holding while telling Kovaelski the a/c
should have been used.
Didyouknow? The Il-76 put down the Turkish refinery
fire at Izmit post-earthquake '00. Today, we had a forest
fire in Alberta that was close to one of our major gas
plants. We supply a lot of gas to the US.
Looks like a honkin' jet!!
Anyone else concerned about "terrorist forest fires?"
Note to CNN re terrorism from US aviation IL-76 supporter:
>a russian aviation colleague just called me to remind me of a subject which
>he and i discussed during previous conversations about water bombers. we
>noted how terrorists could very simply raise effective hell by driving
>through national forests with simple incendiary devices. he noted that the
>albuquerque fire had multiple ignition locations. we both feel that tom
>ridge and the dept. of homeland security might be more aggressive than the
>forest service in dealing with the fire problem.and, he noted some special
>economic conditions regarding one russian aviation firm which may allow
>quicker access to their water bombers. thanks.
FBI terrorism wildfire alert here: http://wildfirenews.com/intel.gif
I went over there and found an article, but I didn't see a discussion forum.
Respectful suggestion:
Do up a little email and tellem you expect this
to go national - that this is far more than just a
Colorado issue: 7newsinvestigates@thedenverchannel.com
Believe me, you won't be alone.
Be sure to thank them for their courage tackling the Forest
Service. USFS are in a bit of a corner now, having crapped
all over the Russians, and may be lashing out at ABC with
all they have to stifle the story.
They have turned to putting up Weakest Links, like the
rep that scratches his face and scoffaws at the suggestion
the Il-76 could have done any good in Co.
Believe me, they really, really think this is all it
will take to ditch the Il-76 as they live in a logic
bubble and as Gantebein points out, are very, very good
at propaganda: http://slate.msn.com/id/2090573
I am tired of being nice. When Churchill had a battle
with his internal people on big or medium bombers and
the row got ugly and went public he said:
"You know, in war you don't have to be nice,
you only have to be right."
The trouble with the Forest Service, is that the business
of being inadequate to the task, has been business as
usual.
Pogo said: "I have seen the enemy and he is us."
Thanks for the link
YW....
Another one from the same writer:
http://slate.msn.com/id/2066948
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