r/Wildfire • u/WoodSharpening • 1d ago

dollar for dollar

I'm sure this is a complicated calculation, but for the hell of it, what do you figure is most effective, dollar for dollar, water bombers or hand crews?

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u/redwall09 1d ago

Is this a serious question? Are you some hack looking for information about a subject you know nothing about?

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u/WoodSharpening 1d ago

yes and yes.

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u/redwall09 1d ago

Look yheres no trying to equate the two. Each has a specigic role in the fire suppression strategy. Handcrews an d dig line only when its safe to do so. Meaning the fire is not so raging that its yoo dangerous to be directly close to it constructing fireline.. aircraft alone cannot completely put out a fire. The helicopters can omly carry so muvhvand can never totally put a fire out. Every fire must have line around it and be out cold to an acceptable level that there is no chance of a reignite. That is where the handcrews and engines come in. Aircraft dropping retardant slows the fire for handcrews to be able to construct fireline. Unfortunately dozers cannot go everywhere. So there will always be a need for humans on foot constructing fireline.
I was fighting fire on 9/11 we lost our air support because of the no fly order after the towers got hit. I can tell you that we were getting our asses kicked because there was no air support. When we got a special permission and the helos dropped on the fire and us and we turned the corner on that thing right quik..

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u/WoodSharpening 23h ago

that makes sense. thanks for taking the time.