MCCALL, Idaho — From Airplanes dropping retardant, to the Chinook helicopters dropping buckets of water to smoke jumpers, the McCall Airport has had a very busy fire season.
- The McCall Airport has had a very busy fire season this year.
- The US Forest Service and McCall Airport have agreed to a temporary air traffic control tower controlled by the FAA.
- Private pilots have been asked to avoid flying in the area unless it's absolutely necessary.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story.)
Brian Harris with the U.S. Forest Service says to ensure the safety of all aviation activities during increased fire operations, the U.S. Forest Service and McCall Airport have agreed to establish a temporary air traffic control tower, operated by the F.A.A.
“The F.A.A. has set up a temporary flight control tower all of McCall is an uncontrolled space of pilots just coordinating with themselves but in this case the F.A.A. controls the air traffic because of the additional firefighting efforts we have here.”
They are asking that General Aviation pilots avoid flying unless it’s absolutely necessary.
“For example on West mountain we have flight restrictions in place it’s a normal way for a lot of aircraft to come in over west mountain and now before they do their preflight they file plans they also have to look at restrictions and avoid that area where the fire is and come in different directions."
And if you think things are going to change anytime soon, Harris says just take a look around.
“Over in Hells Canyon we have the Lime Point and Cliff Mountain fires we just keep coming around with attacks fires over here, over there, there’s the Paddock fire on BLM land, the newest to that is the Wolf Creek fire and as we come around here we have the dollar fire the snag fire and as we come out to the east we have the monumental fire which is 40 miles outside of McCall so yes a very busy season.”
