Coast Guard Aircraft to Fight Fires for Forest Service

Congress passed a defense bill this week that includes transferring 22 military aircraft to the Forest Service for battling major wildfires, according to Sens. Dianne Feinstein and John McCain.

Under the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 passed Dec. 19, seven surplus HC-130H Hercules aircraft will be sent to the Forest Service as large air tankers, and 15 C-23B Sherpa aircraft will serve as smokejumper and cargo transports, according to staff for Feinstein and McCain.

The transfer of the HC-130H aircraft nearly doubles the number of large air tankers currently operated by the Forest Service, according to the California and Arizona senators.

"I am pleased the amendment I cosponsored with Senator McCain to transfer seven HC-130 H planes from the Coast Guard to the Forest Service was included in the defense authorization bill that passed the Senate last night," Feinstein said.

"These seven planes combined can carry over 21,000 gallons of water or fire retardant to help combat dangerous forest fires," Feinstein said. "Given California's worsening risk of forest fires - as evidenced by the ongoing Pfeiffer Fire near Big Sur - this transfer is a critical step to help address our ability to defend forests and communities from the threat of wildfires."

Wildfires burn millions of acres across the western U.S. every year. The Silver Fire in August and the Mountain Fire in July were among Southern California's costliest fires in 2013.

Aircraft are vital to the Forest Service's ability to fight wildfires, but the federal agency's aviation fleet owned has been reduced in the past decade.

According to Feinstein and McCain, a U.S. Government Accountability Office report released in August warns the number of Forest Service large air tankers has dropped from 44 aircraft in 2003 to eight aircraft in 2013.

"This is a real step forward in replenishing the Forest Service’s dwindling air tanker fleet, which is critically important to fighting wildfires," McCain said of the aircraft transfer.

"This year's wildfire season burned millions of acres across the West and brought tragedy to Arizona with the loss of the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots in the Yarnell Hill Fire," McCain said. "Wildfire suppression aircraft are vital to protecting human life and property. Congress must do more to restore the Forest Service air tanker fleet, but this transfer will boost their ability to fight wildfires."

The retardant capacity of each HC-130H is 3,000 to 4,000 gallons per aircraft and each plane will be structurally reinforced by the U.S. Air Force to extend their operational lifetime to about 10 years, according to the Forest Service.

Demands that the service replace its air tanker fleet have come from former pilots, government officials, firefighter advocacy groups and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Since 2001, tanker crashes have killed 22 aircraft personnel. Six died last year.