The idea of fighting forest fires from the air dates back at least as far as Friedrich Karl von Koenig-Warthausen`s observations on seeing a blaze when overflying the Santa Lucia Range, California, in 1929.
Air attack is an industry term used for the actual application of aerial resources, both fixed-wing and rotorcraft, on a fire. Within the industry, though, `air attack` may also refer to the supervisor in the air usually in a fixed-wing aircraft who supervises the process of attacking the wildfire from the air, including fixed-wing airtankers, helicopters, and any other aviation resources assigned to the fire. The Air Tactical Group Supervisor ATGS, often called `air attack`, is usually flying at an altitude above other resources assigned to the fire, often in a fixed-wing plane but occasionally depending on assigned resources or the availability of qualified personnel in a helicopter.
Depending on the size, location, and assessed potential of the wildfire, the `air attack` or ATGS person may be charged with initial attack the first response of firefighting assets on fire suppression, or with extended attack, the ongoing response to and management of a major wildfire requiring additional resources including engines, ground crews, and other aviation personnel and aircraft needed to control the fire and establish control lines or firelines ahead of the wildfire.
Image was taken late spring near Pueblo Colorado while battling a wildfire near Lake Minnequa
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