If you have never been around a big fire scene, here is what typically happens and this is what you will hear if you get your scanner on the right frequencies. I hope you never have to be involved.

The local fire departments will be first to be at the fire area so their traffic will be on their normal frequencies.

If the fire is in the US Forest or on BLM Land they will take jurisdiction, they will send a spotter plane in to direct all the fire fighting efforts. This plane is called "(Fire Name) Air Attack". They set up at TFR (Temporary Flight Restriction) air perimeter and no other aircraft are allowed to enter this area without approval.

The Incident Commander draws a perimeter map around the fire (Assigning sectors A through Z, clockwise around the fire) and then assigns Division Chiefs to each sector.

The "Air Attack" plane orbits the fire at around 1000 feet above the fire and directs all the other aircraft into the fire and relays ground support requests. He is the air traffic controller for the fire zone.

More information on BLM web site:

https://www.blm.gov/programs/fire-and-aviation/aviation

The "Air Attack" can control about 10 choppers and big tankers all at once. If they call for a "SEATS", That is a "Single Engine Aircraft Tanker."

When they need slurry Bombers to make a drop they send in another "Lead plane" first. The "Lead plane" orbits 500 feet below "Air Attack" and He (or She - Great job Mary) becomes the flight controller for the Bombers. The "Air Attack" assigns the slurry targets and the "Lead plane" guides the bombers into the target. Many of the Bomber pilots have never seen the terrain so the "Lead plane" will make a first pass run at the target. This is called a "Show Me" pass and He may spray a little water or smoke so the bomber can see the exact drop target.

The "Air Attack" must clear out all of the fire crew on the ground and get them away from the target zone before the drop, and He keeps all of the choppers about 2 miles away. He tells all aircraft around what is happening so they don't have any collisions. When the Bombers are returning to their base for reloading, the "Lead plane" calls in water bucket drops from the choppers to reduce the smoke over the target so the Bombers can see the target. Most of the Bombers fly at 120 Knots during the drop and they accelerated during the drop as they lose mass.

Sometimes you get assists from the MAFF's (Military C130's) assigned to the fire. They are like big spray paint canisters. They can make up to a quarter mile splash and can vary the spay width. The new 747 Supertanker is sometimes available.

The "Air Attack" has a Pilot and a "Fire Boss." The Fire Boss is directing the Fire Suppression Operations and working 2 radios with 3 frequencies each. He has to control all the choppers on VHF AM and all the aircraft on VHF FM. He gets them assigned to a division and then switches the to a secondary air to ground frequency or hands them off to the "Lead plane" for slurry drops.

The "Air Attack" is usually orbiting over the fire zone for 12 hours in 3 or 4 shifts. The "Lead plane" is a usually a single seat plane.

The crews on the ground work 12 hours on and 12 hours off. There can be hundreds of fire fighters assigned.

Most communities really appreciated the work of the fire fighters. Sometimes restaurants have signs reading "Free Hamburgers for Firefighters".

It is a very interesting operation to hear for yourself on a scanner.

Paul Signorelli, W0RW