Older pilots with unmatchable experience are key to the US aerial firefighting fleet

Amy Beth Hanson, Associated Press

HELENA, Montana (AP) — Pilot Jim Maxwell logged astir 25,000 formation hours complete 5 decades flying mini planes successful vulnerable situations, from spraying to termination forbidden supplier crops successful Central America to navigating steaming skies to driblet occurrence retardant arsenic wildfires scorch nan Western United States.

Once successful nan 1980s, his level went down erstwhile his motor grounded during a supplier eradication ngo and he suffered burns that near him scarred, but he ne'er wavered successful his desire to support flying high-risk missions moreover arsenic he precocious beyond status age.

The 73-year-old from Clarkston, Washington, answered nan telephone again past period to thief firefighters incorporate a lightning-caused blaze successful Malheur National Forest successful Oregon. It turned retired to beryllium his past mission: He was killed erstwhile his level collapsed successful steep, forested terrain connected July 25.

It’s not yet known what caused nan clang — it usually takes astir 2 weeks for nan National Transportation Safety Board to rumor a preliminary study — but chap pilots judge mediocre visibility was a factor.

Maxwell’s property would person precluded him from flying for a commercialized airline, those pilots must discontinue astatine 65, but location are nary property limits for firefighting pilots. With unmatchable acquisition and savvy, it is not uncommon for these aerial firefighters to support moving into their 60s and 70s. Some moreover alert aft turning 80, said Ken Pimlott, erstwhile main of nan California Board of Forestry and Protection, aliases Cal Fire.

Sherry Ledgerwood, Jamon Maxwell, Jason Maxwell, carrying nan ashes of his father, James Bailey Maxwell, and Lynann Richie, locomotion down a corridor of firefighters and others astatine nan Lewiston Nez Perce County Airport connected Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, successful Lewiston, Idaho. Pilot James Maxwell died while fighting a occurrence successful Ore. | August Frank, Lewiston Tribune via Associated Press

Andy Taylor, nan 60-year-old proprietor of New Frontier Aviation successful Montana, said he prefers nan pilots he hires to person arsenic overmuch acquisition arsenic possible. Newer pilots commencement by spraying pesticide to get believe flying astatine debased altitudes and dropping loads, Taylor said, but they besides request acquisition flying successful mountainous terrain.

Agricultural spraying usually happens erstwhile nan aerial is cool, nan crushed is level and location is nary wind.

“But switching complete to nan occurrence broadside of it, astir of nan clip we’re flying erstwhile it’s 80 to 100 degrees (26 to 37 Celsius) retired pinch nan upwind blowing successful very steep, difficult terrain,” successful summation to nan smoke.

The occupation nan pilots do is successful immense request during wildfire play and on-scene occurrence commanders sometimes definitive desperation for aerial support erstwhile blazes are raging.

It’s besides expensive: The main national agencies that oversee firefighting efforts successful nan West — nan U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management’s genitor agency, nan Interior Department — spent much than $700 cardinal connected aerial firefighting contracts successful 2023, according to agency officials.

Being an aerial firefighter requires years of training and experience, and it’s a reliable statement of activity to get into, truthful pilots and occurrence officials opportunity it’s not astonishing they proceed moving aft astir group are retired, arsenic agelong arsenic they tin walk an yearly beingness that includes an electrocardiogram to trial bosom function. They besides must support a commercialized pilot’s licence and participate successful training.

Taylor estimates location are astir 120 azygous motor aerial tanker, aliases SEAT, pilots moving successful nan U.S. this summer.

Paul Yedinak, who is 73 for illustration his longtime friend Maxwell, flies a SEAT, mostly successful nan Pacific Northwest. He estimates nan mean property of aerial firefighters, including tanker pilots, is astir 60 because of nan acquisition required, and because they emotion flying.

Yedinak, Taylor and Maxwell’s son, Jason Maxwell, besides an aerial firefighter, judge debased visibility owed to dense fume contributed to nan crash, which shook nan tight-knit aerial firefighting family.

“Jim was nan past personification we would ever thought that would person a problem for illustration this, ever,” Yedinak said.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek ordered authorities flags to beryllium flown astatine half unit connected July 31 and Aug. 1 to grant Maxwell. His ashes were flown to Lewiston, Idaho, connected Aug. 2, wherever where astir 200 group gathered astatine nan airport, Jason Maxwell said.

“My dada deserved thing for illustration that,” he said.

Asotin County and Clarkston metropolis firefighters locomotion crossed nan airdrome runway arsenic they hold for nan ashes of James Maxwell to get astatine nan Lewiston Nez Perce County Airport connected Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, successful Lewiston, Idaho. Pilot James Maxwell died while fighting a occurrence successful Ore. | August Frank, Lewiston Tribune via Associated Press

A memorial work will beryllium held aft nan occurrence play is over.

Maxwell was flying an Air Tractor 802A, which enables pilots to driblet astir 700 gallons (2,650 liters) of retardant connected fires from heights arsenic debased arsenic 100 feet (30 meters) supra nan ground, aliases 60 feet (18 meters) supra nan highest trees. SEATs are typically utilized successful first attacks connected mini fires, but besides tin beryllium utilized to capable successful areas betwixt retardant drops made by larger tankers.

“We tin usually get into tighter places and terrain that nan bigger airplanes can’t get to,” Taylor said.

SEATs besides tin onshore and refill astatine smaller airstrips person to fires, alternatively than astatine nan tanker bases required for larger planes, giving them quicker turn-around times.

A akin aircraft, an Air Tractor 802F, collapsed connected July 10, sidesplitting aviator Juliana Turchetti, 45, arsenic she scooped up reservoir h2o to driblet connected nan Horse Gulch Fire adjacent Helena, Montana, officials said.

Maxwell sewage his backstage pilot’s licence erstwhile he was 19 and successful nan 1980s worked for nan national authorities spraying herbicide to termination opium poppies and marijuana successful Guatemala. He was changeable astatine aggregate times and his level caught occurrence aft crashing owed to motor nonaccomplishment connected 1 flight, Jason Maxwell said.

Maxwell was severely burned, requiring galore tegument grafts, Yedinak said.

Jim Maxwell and Yedinak had worked for nan aforesaid BLM contractor for astir 7 years. They were fighting different fires connected nan time of Maxwell’s fatal crash, successful conditions wherever nan visibility was astir 3 miles (5 kilometers), compared to 10 miles (16 kilometers) connected clear days, Yedinak said.

After nan crash, Yedinak and different pilots decided that without astatine slightest 5 miles (8 kilometers) of visibility, “we’re not going. There’s nary consciousness successful it.”

The clang “brought america backmost to reality arsenic acold arsenic each we’re doing is trying to support writer and trees from burning,” he said.

Still, Yedinak said he isn’t rather fresh to discontinue from firefighting. He keeps successful style by riding his bike, running, hiking and hunting.

“I still bask doing it. It’s still very challenging,” he said. “As agelong arsenic I tin enactment fresh and I bask nan job, I’ll astir apt proceed for a small while longer.”