Flying in Fire Season

Smoke in the Mountains

by Crista V. Worthy

Summer vacation season is upon us, and while some pilots might long to fly to a new city, for others there's nothing like flying over and into America's beautiful forests. Just remember that when flying over forested areas, you need to be aware of forest fires and their associated TFRs. Neal Hitchcock, deputy director of operations for the Forest Service says, “We seem to be in a mode where we're going to have very severe fire seasons, especially in the West.”

The summer of 2007 started with lovely weather in mid-June, but turned suddenly hot before the month was out, and fires began soon thereafter. Favorite backcountry strips like Johnson Creek, Idaho, were evacuated and closed. Utah suffered its largest wildfire ever. Black Butte Ranch near Sisters, Ore. [featured in the Jan/Feb 2008 issue], was evacuated due to a nearby 8,000-acre fire. Meadow Creek and Schafer Meadows, Mont., both featured in Pilot Getaways last summer, were closed due to smoke, and TFRs multiplied all over the West.

Get a weather briefing before every flight, but be aware that the briefer may not have the latest information. Lori MacNichol served as an air attack forest pilot for nine years, before retiring from that position three years ago to devote her full attention to her business, McCall Mountain/Canyon Flying Seminars, LLC, www.mountaincanyonflying.com. She recommends that you ask for TFRs along your route and also get the briefer's name and location. She says that pilots have received inaccurate or incomplete TFR information even after requesting it, and this will help you defend yourself if you bust a TFR. It's also a good idea to call the local ranger station closest to your destination, and perhaps a few along your route. If you are meeting friends at your destination and they have already arrived, try calling them for a weather update. Maybe you know someone who lives near your destination; call them too. MacNichol points out that local FBOs are a great resource, especially in McCall, Idaho, because they are a smoke-jumper base. Additionally, check the web before departure; the National Interagency Fire Center of Boise, Idaho, coordinates firefighting resources nationwide and has an excellent website, updated every 12 minutes, www.airspace.nifc.gov/mapping/nifc.

TFRs can be established around fires of any size because there may be a dozen or more firefighting aircraft whizzing back and forth, dropping water or retardant, as well as surveying the fire's progress, so try to stay at least a few miles outside TFR borders for extra safety. Large fires can lift a lot of air, creating their own weather, subjecting pilots to severe turbulence, up- or downdrafts, funnel clouds, or fire-induced thunderstorms.

MacNichol pointed out that there was a TFR just east of McCall 30 nm wide, 157 nm long, up to 11,000 ft. MSL. She emphasized that TFRs can look like amoebas and be time consuming to chart or brief. A product that can receive XM WX Satellite Weather, such as a Garmin 496, helps you stay out of TFRs and trouble. But fires can move at an alarming rate and new TFRs can pop up at any moment. Guess what? Lockheed Martin has violated contract obligations more than once by not providing the information to the server depicting current TFRs on your moving map, so don't rely solely on this tool. It's best to do it all: call FSS before each flight, check the web, load the XM weather up, fly high, and try to stay out of the smoke and certainly out of the way of the fire fighting aircraft.

Pilots violating TFRs may receive a Letter of Investigation. If the FAA finds cause for action, it sends a Notice of Proposed Action, giving the opportunity for an “informal conference.” At that time, the alleged violator can bring up mitigating circumstances and this may lessen or dismiss the charge. On the other hand, if the pilot is a repeat offender or there was a clear opportunity to avoid busting the TFR, the FAA may increase the penalty. Penalties generally range from a 30- to a 90-day suspension.

Flying in Fire Country

In canyons, stay to the right if safety permits, and turn around if smoke ahead becomes heavy. Remember that if you turn your plane toward the sun when flying through smoke, the glare may instantly reduce visibility to near zero. MacNichol adds, “If you find yourself in this situation, you can only hope to turn around immediately with a shallow bank. The first uneasiness you feel is your immediate sign to turn around; don't wait a second more. By staying to the side and not in the middle, you will have room to turn around. If you can plan ahead we recommend following the rivers; this is what we call ‘Drainage Navigation.’” Keeping the water in sight will not only keep you within the canyon, but if you follow the river downstream, you are guaranteed not to find yourself in suddenly climbing terrain. At all times—but especially in reduced visibility—you should self-announce in the backcountry on 122.9 MHz.

In the mountains, smoke tends to sink into the canyons. You could wind up in a similar trap to landing in ground fog, where you suddenly lose visibility as you descend—not a good situation anywhere, and especially not when walls of granite are rising above you!

Once en route, if you see a new forest fire, you can mark your position and report it to ATC or Flight Watch. On the ground, you can do your part to avoid creating a new TFR by being especially careful with campfires. It only takes one spark to start a forest fire, so be sure to thoroughly soak ashes and coals until dead. If a fire isn't allowed where you're camping, save it for another time and place. Before you depart to fly home, try calling a briefer for a TFR update. If you can't, call Flight Watch on your radio after you depart, fire up the links on your GPS if you have them, and keep your eyes peeled for smoke.

With a little extra care, that summer or fall trip you planned should give you the opportunity to enjoy America's natural beauty while keeping you clear of the firefighters who are working to keep these places beautiful.