As wildfire season ramps up across Southeast Texas, a small airport in Winnie is preparing to play a major role in fighting fires from the air.
At ARC Aviation in Winnie, crews are training and gearing up single-engine air tankers, known as SEAT aircraft, to respond quickly when flames break out. The pilots are being put through training exercises designed to simulate real fire conditions as the company prepares for what it expects could be a dangerous season.
“We’re doing pilot of the evaluation and check rides and training. We’re getting ready for a pretty intense Fire season coming up due to the high drought levels and high temperature, record temperatures,” said Andrew Mitchell, CEO of ARC Aviation of Texas.
ARC Aviation provides aerial support for wildland firefighting across the country, including in Texas. Mitchell said the mission is straightforward but critical.
“Protect, you know life first property second, we’ll deliver retardant, and water, of course to help suppress, and to help control the fire line and maintain it,” Mitchell said.
Once airborne, pilots drop water, foam or fire retardant to slow the spread of flames, buying time for crews on the ground. But Mitchell said the speed and unpredictability of wildfires can make the job challenging.
“We’ve clocked fires that move anywhere from 50 60 miles an hour Learn up a lot of territory in just a quick amount of time, you know, and it can really progress,” he said.
Training like this happens every year, but Mitchell said conditions could make this season especially active.
“Right now the the nation is sitting at a Pardons level of three right now Five is the worst that could get so we’re just getting ready We can call down at any time We just want to be ready to go when that call comes,” Mitchell said.
With drought conditions persisting across much of Texas, crews in Winnie said staying mission-ready now could make all the difference when wildfire season spikes.