FAIRBANKS (AP) -- Three replacement airplanes so far have been effective in fighting fires in the state's wildlands since the federal government canceled the contracts of the four tankers normally used, fire officials say.
Two CL-215s, nicknamed ``Super Scoopers'' because of their ability to scoop up water from lakes, and a small-engine air tanker capable of flying 200 miles per hour and dumping up to 800 gallons of retardant, were sent to help deal with the loss.
While the planes have been effective in limited action so far, officials said, they don't make up for the capabilities of the large tankers.
``So there is a difference, but it's a good supplement to not having anything at all,'' said Joe Ribar, a staffing officer with the Bureau of Land Management's Alaska Fire Service.
The state Division of Forestry still has two large tankers on contract from Canada. But the D-6s cannot be used to help extinguish fires on wildlands within federal protection areas, which cover most of northern Alaska.
The three new planes are stationed at the Alaska Fire Service base at the Fort Wainwright Army Post. They have seen light duty so far during an inactive fire season. They were used to fight fires near Bettles and Minto last weekend.
``We've been fortunate in the fact that the fires that we've had have a close water source, so they've been quite effective this year,'' Ribar said.
The planes, also called ``ducks'' because of their bright yellow color, need a stretch of water that's a mile long and at least 6 feet deep.
``Chocolate brown water is not very good for us because you have no depth perception because you can't see into it,'' pilot Don MacDonald said. ``The rivers around here are chocolate brown and unless we know from locals who say, 'Yes, it's deep enough in this spot,' we're not going to go to just any little river.
``On the other hand, we had a fire a couple of months ago in Minnesota, the water was so clear, you couldn't tell how deep the water was either.''
A smaller lead plane helps guide the CL-215s along the flying route across the lake's surface. While the larger plane is circling the water, the lead plane will dart across the surface, leaving a smoky trail behind to mark the route.
The tanker drops down on the lake surface, gliding across it like a speed boat. A button opens the two postcard-sized scoops under the belly of the plane just behind two drop doors.
``We're doing right around 80 to 90 mph when we hit the water and that stuff just shoots right up there. It takes 10 seconds to fill up,'' pilot Glen Znamirowski said.
Once the pilots hit the button that closes the scoop, they're already at full speed and the plane lifts off the water. There are two tanks that can hold 6,000 pounds of water (about 750 gallons) per side and pilots have the option of opening one or both when attacking a fire.
The plane can inject foam into the tanks to mix with the water but Ribar said because of environmental concerns the foam won't be used in Alaska.
The single-engine air tanker, or SEAT as it's commonly referred to in the wildland firefighting world, is the largest single-engine aircraft in the world, pilot Dan Rinner said.
Rinner said the small and highly accurate plane is designed to lay retardant down at the edge of the fire to slow or stop its progress. Most of the time the plane is used to protect ground crews working on a fire, Rinner said.
Because its 1,350-horsepower engine is capable of flying around 200 mph, it can get to a fire fast. It is also accompanied by a truck that can park near a landing strip and pump new loads of retardant into the aircraft.
There's only one SEAT parked next to the CL-215s at Fort Wainwright but Rinner said another one has been ordered from the Lower 48 to add to the small fleet of aircraft.
``It's a new tool for Alaska. We're hopeful and so far convinced the combination of the 215, and what it does, and the SEATS, and what it does, that it's right for aerial fire suppression in the state,'' Rinner said.
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