Saying the difference in response time would only be about 5 minutes, the Bureau of Land Management annouced it was moving its staff from Minden to Stead.
"This consolidation will improve the efficiency and the safety of the Stead air tanker base," said Acting BLM State Director Amy Lueders. "We are able to fully staff one air tanker reload base rather than hosting two bases barely at or below minimum staffing levels."
Federal Interagency Policy requires a minimum of four employees to staff bases serving large air tankers. Analysis shows that response times for heavy air tankers will be only minimally affected.
Ed Monnig, Forest Supervisor with the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest said the BLM's decision matches Forest Service efforts to consolidate their bases across the West for cost efficiency and more effective use of critical resources.
"By consolidating all of our heavy air tanker support at Stead," said Monnig, "and supplementing this base with highly mobile smaller tankers across western Nevada, I believe Forest Service fire fighting efforts will continue to be effectively supported in a way that makes best use of scarce resources."
BLM primarily uses single engine air tankers in Nevada and eastern California. These aircraft are able to respond quickly on initial attack, have a high degree of accuracy, and are more cost-effective than the large air tankers. All SEATs come with a mobile support unit to reload and refuel the aircraft; they don't need to be reloaded at a tanker base.
