NJ Forest Fire Service 2013 Contract Aircraft Schedule

I am happier than I usually am to see the NJ Forest Fire Service 2013 Contract Aircraft Schedule. As I have driven around my little corner of western New Jersey in the months following Super Storm Sandy, I have seen a lot of fallen trees of all sizes in forested areas near the roads I travel. Many of these fallen trees in forested areas remain where they are after the winds from Super Storm Sandy brought them down. I don't want to forget the wind damage that southern NJ saw from the June 29, 2012 Derecho. I probably can not begin to imagine the tree damage in some of the larger forests in New Jersey.

I have been wondering what the spring fire season will bring to us in New Jersey as we have seen below average snow fall totals over much or all of NJ so far this winter. Some of you might have heard about some pretty substantial snow storms that affected the Northeast and the Mid-Atlantic regions of the U.S.. I want to speak a little about what our snowfall has been like in New Jersey so far this winter to address possible misconceptions. That is, as far as I know, New Jersey has not seen any one sno storm with the substantial snow accumulations that portions of New England and Long Island have seen (2 to 3 feet+) this winter. Yes, areas of northern New Jersey saw accumulations of 10 to 14 inches during one or two snow storms, but not the 2 or 3 feet that other areas saw. With the possible exception of extreme northern areas of New Jersey, I believe that we have had a below average snow fall so far. As I write this, we are getting another mixed precipitation event in New Jersey. Perhaps 4 to 6 inches of snow up in northern New Jersey with lower amounts in central New Jersey and all rain elsewhere in New Jersey. I am in the 2 to 4 inch forecasted snow band.

Since it is snowing as I write this, it is a little hard to think about fire danger today. Yet we had one day list week with heightened fire danger, and I'm sure that we will get more. All it takes is about ten days (maybe less) of dry weather, the soil will dry out. and we will be ripe for fire danger in northern NJ. In the Pine Barrens and elsewhere in southern NJ, the soil is sandy and can dry out in a far shorter time then up north.

I am very happy that we will have an Ag-Cat here in my corner of NJ (Division A). If I luck out and get to see her, I'll try to get some photos to share here.

Just today, I got notice of the NJ Forest Fire Service's 2013 Contract Aircraft Schedule. I have included the schedule at the end of this article. I want to talk a little about the Ag-Cats. The Ag-Cat marked "400 Ag-Cat" is a turbine Ag-Cat. My friends at Downstown Aero did the turbine conversion over the fall and winter. She carries 400 gallons of water/foam with a 680 hp engine. The piston Ag-Cats carry 300 gallons of water/foam with a 600 hp engine. They have some photos of the conversion on their facebook page (should be publicly available), their photos of the conversion may be found here. Downstown shot a video of her first flight that is also available on their facebook page, go here to see the video.

DIVISION A:

AEROFLEX, (ALPHA-3) 300 AGCAT, MARCH 30 - APRIL 7

AEROFLEX, (ALPHA-2) 400 AGCAT, APRIL 8-29

DIVISION B:

COYLE FIELD,(BRAVO-3) AGCAT 300, APRIL 1- APRIL 7

COYLE FIELD, (BRAVO-1) 602 AIR TRACTOR, APRIL 8- MAY 8

DIVISION C:

DOWNSTOWN, (CHARLIE-3) AGCAT 300, MARCH 29-APRIL 7

DOWNSTOWN (CHARLIE-1) 602 AIR TRACTOR,  APRIL 8-29

DOWNSTOWN, (CHARLIE-2) AGCAT 400, APRIL 30-MAY 12