Santa Maria Airtanker Base (CA) is baaaccck!

In April of 2009, a few weeks after I started writing about aerial wild land firefighting in my blog, I remember reading somewhere that the Santa Maria Airtanker Base, 55 miles north of Santa Barbara CA was downgraded from a full service air attack base to a call when needed air attack base. I suppose that you can say that piece of news stayed with me, I did not forget. It did not take me long to find some articles that Bill Gabbert of wildfire today wrote about the situation, two of these include an article written on  April 10, 2009 and another on May 13, 2009. I do recall making a mental note of the article that Bill wrote last November with the good news that the Santa Maria Airtanker base would reopen.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago, where I saw this report from KCOA on June 8 saying that the Santa Maria Air Tanker Base is up and running. Further, that a couple of air tankers and a helo had reloaded (or flown out of) Santa Maria Air Tanker Base for an early June fire in Ventura County.

A friend of mine told me about the Ozena Fire late Saturday night that was then burning in or near the Los Padres National Forest. I found an article in the Ventura County Star written late Saturday night (June 16) when the wildfire was still burning. The article speaks of a helicopter being used early on. I understand that air support for the Ozena fire was loading out of the Santa Maria Air Tanker Base on Saturday. That makes sense to me because it is so close to Los Padres.

According to an article from the Ventura County Star on the afternoon of June 17, the fire was fully contained earlier on June 17. Also see this report from KTLA. Both articles mention that the fire was fought from the air and from the ground. I am uncertain about exactly what aerial resources were used. Perhaps it doesn't matter that I don't know exactly what aerial resources where used to fight the Ozena fire on June 16, what matters is that the Santa Maria Tanker Base is up and running.

This is one time when my distance is a little frustrating. If I lived closer, which I don't as I live on the east coast, I would be at the Santa Maria viewing area with camera in hand to take photos. But I am here, so I can't do that for you. I will try, as best I can to keep an eye out for tanker and helo operations out of Santa Maria during the coming fire season. And when I do, I'll report back here.