TWIN FALLS, Idaho — Air tanker crews pitched in to fight the Median Fire near Wendell on Wednesday, turning the runway at Joslin Field Magic Valley Airport into a busy hub for aerial firefighting operations.
Four fixed-wing aircraft began making fire-suppression flights shortly after the first spark. Tankers arrived every 7 minutes to deploy retardant, and the Twin Falls airbase supported crews on the ground with 48,893 gallons of retardant.
WATCH: Crews battle Median Fire near Wendell
Airport Manager Matt Barnes said the air tankers were able to spend the afternoon making runs of fire retardant to the fire without disruption to other airport traffic.
"We had three large air tankers, two single-engine air tankers, and all our normal traffic operating as scheduled, so we experienced a variety of aircraft all at the same time," Barnes said.
The Median Fire scorched about 5,000 acres on Wednesday, pushed by strong winds.
BLM Spokesperson Adam Leija told Idaho News 6 the fire started in the median of I-84 west of Wendell, and quickly spread by strong winds on Wednesday afternoon.
"It pushed it clear up to Highway 46, where crews were hoping to contain it or hold it here on the highway, but the wind was so severe that it pushed it over a highway and burned through the salvage yard, and it continued east," Leija said.
Barnes reflected on the airport's role in the response.
"I've been here for 20 years, so I've seen this before, but it's also at the same time really exciting and gratifying to know that the Twin Falls airport has prepared properly and we're ready to serve that type of mission," Barnes said.
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Barnes said the operation carried both excitement and weight.
"In some ways it's really exciting. I'm an aviation nerd at heart so it's fun to see these special aircraft do their mission. In other ways, you always hope that everybody's prepared and that the weather cooperates and everybody stay safe," Barnes said.
The tankers have since moved on to help control new fires in Ely, Nevada.
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