MARANA, Ariz. (KGUN) — The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management relies on a multitude of resources when battling fires — some of those resources are currently based out of the Marana Regional Airport.
From its single-engine air tanker (SEAT) base, four Air Tractor 802-As, which can travel 140 to 150 miles an hour, are dispatched to fires.
Pilot Matt Peed explained that these planes were originally manufactured for agricultural operations, like spraying, planting, and fertilizing crops. However, as a pilot of 25 years, he is very familiar with another use.
“It was adapted probably 25 or so years ago to dispense fire retardant in an initial attack for firefighting,” he said.
Danny Glattfelder, State Aviation Manager for the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, explained how they are used during an initial attack.
“These guys are able to get to the fire, help the guys on the ground – most of the time without aerial supervision there yet and not a big response from multiple aircraft,” Glattfelder said. “They get in there, they do their job quick, they get out and they can reload a lot faster than the larger aircraft.”
He and Peed said that between 700 and 750 gallons of retardant are usually carried in the aircraft.
“We assist those guys on the ground with dropping retardant, helping them build a fire line so that they can slow the spread of the fire or start backfires and burn to the fire – take the fuel away to contain the fire,” Peed said.
Glattfelder said they are more nimble and usually have a quicker response than larger air tankers.
“It takes a lot less time to fill these…the large air tankers are more meant for the larger, heavier fuels – the forest and stuff like that,” he said.
Peed said their goal is to be ready to go within 15 minutes of a dispatch.
“Even our seatbelts are laid out just right. So it’s basically kind of the equivalent of – instead of getting in an engine, a firetruck, those guys have everything choreographed laid out just right, we do the same thing with the airplanes.”
Glattfelder said these single-engine air tankers have been used in the Stronghold, Bryce, Cedar and Turnbull fires this year.
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Madison Thomas joined KGUN 9 in July of 2023 as a multimedia journalist. She graduated from Arizona State University in May of 2023 with a degree in journalism and mass communication. She has lived in Arizona her entire life and grew up in Douglas. Madison is thrilled to share the stories from the community she grew up in. Share your story ideas and important issues with Madison by emailing madison.thomas@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.
