REPUBLIC OF PERILO WILDLAND FIRE SERVICE
The Department of Forest Industry operates the National Wildland Fire Service, a system for the detection of wildland fires and for their containment and extinguishment. The central facility for the Service is the Plank Road Junction Air Attack Base, located on the Plank Road Junction Airport. A second Air Attack Base is operated for water operations at Port Stanley. The Service has seven major components:
THE NATIONAL WILDLAND FIRE CENTER
The National Wildland Fire Center is a central command post for wildland fire operations, located at the Air Attack Base at Plank Road Junction. This facility is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
THE NATIONAL WILDLAND FIRE DETECTION SYSTEM
The Fire Detection System is provided by 44 fire towers, constructed with heights from 40 to 120 feet, depending on the surrounding terrain and forest characteristics. Towers in remote areas have 14 by 14 foot cabs with austere accommodations for the lookout; towers in rural areas have 7 by 7 foot cabs, with no living accommodations. Fire Towers are staffed 24 hours a day during the fire season, using part-time employees.
THE NATIONAL WILDLAND FIRE LOGISTICS CACHE
The National Wildland Fire Logistics Cache provides a central warehouse cache of wildland firefighting expendable supplies and equipment with standard push packs prepackaged and palletized for air or vehicle transportation. The cache is located at the Plank Road Junction Airport. The Service operates two C-130 transport aircraft to airlift supplies and equipment to airports nearest fires.
| Number of Aircraft | Aircraft Type | Tail Numbers | Air Attack Base |
|
2 |
Lockheed C-130 Hercules | 25, 26 | Plank Road Junction |
THE NATIONAL OVERHEAD TEAM
The National Overhead Team provides a complete staff to augment local capabilities to manage large wildland fires. During the fire season, the Overhead Team is on a 6 hour alert for deployment, either by air or ground vehicles, depending on the fire location.
THE WILDLAND FIRE SERVICE TASK FORCES AND STRIKE TEAMS
The Service operates 3 National Task Forces and 4 National Hot Shot Strike Teams:
| Team Designator and Type | Capabilities | Location |
| Task Force 1 | 2 dozers with transporters, 4 tankers, 4 engines, 1 ambulance | Plank Road Junction |
| Task Force 2 | 2 dozers with transporters, 4 tankers, 4 engines, 1 ambulance | Alamance |
| Task Force 3 | 2 dozers with transporters, 4 tankers, 4 engines, 1 ambulance | Hogben |
| Strike Team North | 16 firefighter Hot Shot Strike Team with 3 vehicles | McDade |
| Strike Team Northwest | 16 firefighter Hot Shot Strike Team with 3 vehicles | Hogben |
| Strike Team Southwest | 16 firefighter Hot Shot Strike Team with 3 vehicles | Industry |
| Strike Team East | 16 firefighter Hot Shot Strike Team with 3 vehicles | Alamance |
THE SMOKE JUMPER SERVICE
The Smoke Jumper Service provides four trained strike teams (A, B, C, and D) of 8 smoke jumpers (1 team leader, 7 jumpers) each for parachute deployment to incipient stage wildfires. One team is on 1 hour alert at the Plank Road Junction Air Attack Base throughout the fire season. If conditions warrant a second team may be deployed to an area with identified high fire threat to operate from a local airport.
| Number of Aircraft | Aircraft Type | Tail Numbers | Air Attack Base |
|
2 |
Antonov An-2 light transport aircraft | 15, 16 | Plank Road Junction |
THE NATIONAL AERIAL TANKER FLEET
The Service operates 6 aerial tankers for fire fighting. At least one aircraft with crew is on 1 hour alert 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with additional aircraft placed on alert during periods of high fire threat. Tanker aircraft are painted in a high visibility yellow color scheme with red tails and white tail numbers.
| Number of Aircraft | Aircraft Type | Tail Numbers | Air Attack Base |
|
4 |
Lockheed P-2 Neptune | 21, 22, 23, 24 | Plank Road Junction |
|
2 |
Canadair CL-415 | 31, 32 | Port Stanley |