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smoke
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The USFS has just completed a nine year study at a cost of 12.7 million dollars as to how effective air tankers are. The study was inconclusive and left "many questions unanswered." Even though they have been using retardant for over seventy years, they failed to show if it was cost effective or not. There are only a few small companies involved but they do have a large political influence and will not hesitate to have a senator or congressman place a call when they believe a fire failed to use proper resources even though many piolets refer to most drops as "spitting on a hot stove."
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tumblehome
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The air water drops they used in the Ham lake fire saved Tuscarora Lodge.
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napinch
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Here are a few pictures I took on Trout a few weeks ago for the Hassel lake fire. I presume these planes will be back in use again.  
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TuscaroraBorealis
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Rained all day yesterday in NE MN. Good old soaker which was much needed
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MHS67
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smoke: "The USFS has just completed a nine year study at a cost of 12.7 million dollars as to how effective air tankers are. The study was inconclusive and left "many questions unanswered." Even though they have been using retardant for over seventy years, they failed to show if it was cost effective or not. There are only a few small companies involved but they do have a large political influence and will not hesitate to have a senator or congressman place a call when they believe a fire failed to use proper resources even though many piolets refer to most drops as "spitting on a hot stove.""
Air tankers work best on initial attack fires. If you can hit the fire with aircraft while it is still small and slow its spread, it gives the ground crews a better chance of stopping it.
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x2jmorris
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So dry everywhere and windy
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TuscaroraBorealis
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Embarrass fire.
Just got re-routed off state highway 135 due to this current fire (about a half hour south of Ely).
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TuscaroraBorealis
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Meant to put this in Listening Point....
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cyclones30
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Sounds like the fire is out now....nice pictures!
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IronRangeMike
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I manage a resort outside Biwabik on Wynne lake. They were pulling water all afternoon. Guests got a pretty good show.
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tumblehome
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I too have observed those plane working a fire, the last time being the Turtle LAke fire in the BWCA some years ago. You get huge amounts or respect for those pilots watching them scoop water.
How about when they were using 727’s out west to put out fires. That’s some scary Schtit.
Tom
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LindenTree
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IronRangeMike: "
I manage a resort outside Biwabik on Wynne lake. They were pulling water all afternoon. Guests got a pretty good show. "
The girl in this video was my co-worker on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. It is from 2019 on the Swan Lake fire, the planes are scooping out of Skilak Lake. I lived on that lake as a firefighter/ranger for 3 years retiring in 2017. I've watched alot of the scoopers in my career and called them into fires a few times.
Super Scoopers filling on Skilak Lake AK.
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LindenTree
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quark2222: "I've seen on TV news DC-10's dropping either fire retardant or water before. I think they were mostly in California. If they are dumping water, do they scoop too? Or, do they have to land and refill the tanks while parked.
Tomster"
They have to land and refill and usually drop fire retardant. I've been on one fire with a DC-10 dropping, they are so big and flying so slow comparatively, that it looks like they will fall right out of the sky.
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quark2222
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I've seen on TV news DC-10's dropping either fire retardant or water before. I think they were mostly in California. If they are dumping water, do they scoop too? Or, do they have to land and refill the tanks while parked.
Tomster
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