Tonto Forest ramping up fire suppression resources

PHOENIX (June 3, 2011) – Tonto National fire officials are ramping up wildfire fighting resources: engines, hand crews, and aircraft are being staged at the Phoenix Interagency Fire Center.

While large fires such as the Wallow Fire on the Apache National Forest are being staffed up with personnel and equipment to meet suppression challenges, we are also mobilizing additional resources from across the country to assist with ongoing and potential fire threats,” announced Helen Graham, Deputy Fire Staff, Tonto National Forest.

“We are staging these resources at our interagency fire center at Williams Gateway Airport,” said Graham. “Current resources include two air attack platforms: an airplane with pilot and crew trained to direct fire operations from the air; and a helitanker, a large helicopter with the capability of dropping over 2,000 gallons of water in a single drop from an external tank.

“Additionally the tanker base co-located with the Fire Center is staffed with personnel for loading fire retardant on heavy airtankers that would be assigned if a new fire breaks out in central Arizona.”Tomorrow, a chartered 737 from the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in Boise will deliver four 20-person hand crews which will be available at the fire center for deployment as needed.

The Fire Center also houses a dispatch center which services multiple agencies that include the Tonto National Forest, the San Carlos Apache Agency, and the Fort McDowell, Pima, and Gila River Indian communities.