413th FLTS aids in fighting wildfire Published June 13, 2012 By Minty Knighton Team Eglin Public Affairs EGLINAIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- For the past couple of weeks, the Fire Management section of Eglin's Natural Resources branch, also known as Jackson Guard, has been working day and night to keep wildfires from spreading off the reservation just north of Hurlburt Field. The firefighters on the ground got some assistance from the air in the form of a 413th Flight Test Squadron UH-1 helicopter equipped with a Bambi Bucket, a sling load bucket mechanism, which helped suppress the fire. "I made the decision to contact the Huey folks because the fire was in a swamp where we could not gain access with heavy equipment, and because the fire was a threat to Hurlburt Field and local communities," said James Furman, wildland fire program manager for Jackson Guard. Although there were manmade fire breaks and natural barriers, stifling winds and dry air ignited the smoldering grounds into small fires that became unmanageable for the ground crews. The helicopter crew lowered the Bambi Bucket into a pond and then strategically dumped the water onto hot spots in the fire. "It was one of the biggest fires I've ever seen," said Tony Arrington, flight commander for the 413th FLTS. "We would never truly be able to put it out, so we concentrated on the small pockets where the embers would get into fresh wood." The Huey dropped 90.4 tons of water over a six-day period. "Our folks have done a great job in containing and preventing the spread to the base," said Lt. Col. Don Grove, 413th FLTS commander. The 413th FLTS, whose team included three pilots, a flight engineer and a maintenance crew of seven, was not alone in the effort. A CH-47 Chinook and UH-60 Black Hawk were contracted to help in the effort. "We couldn't have done it without Jackson Guard's expertise in coordinating the efforts of all agencies involved," said Grove. "This was a great opportunity for the UH-1 crew to hone their skills and work with aircraft from other agencies," said Furman. Furman credits the 413th FLTS and a team of more than a dozen agencies and organizations for the success of stopping the spread of the fire.