USDA Forest Service completes phase 1 of air attack base enhancements
REDDING — The USDA Forest Service and partners, including the Army Corps of Engineers and Redding, will celebrate on April 25 the completion of phase 1 in a five-year, $28 million project to expand air tanker loading capabilities by 132 percent at the Redding Interagency Air Attack Base. The upgrades allow for the simultaneous loading of five aircraft, up from two. This base is vital in providing initial and extended attacks for wildfires across the western United States, according to a press release issued Wednesday by the USDA Forest Service. In 2021, the base loaded 3 million gallons of fire retardant. The new configuration offers the potential to load over 6 million gallons. Plus, air tankers will no longer have to wait to be loaded, with direct access from the taxiway to reduce turnaround times. Aviation Management for the Pacific Southwest Region Deputy Director of Fire Fuels Yolanda Saldana said completing this phase is a huge milestone, significantly increasing our ability to accommodate five Next Generation air tankers and fill them simultaneously. “Our firefighting crews and the communities we serve will directly benefit from these