DVIDS – News – USFS celebrates modernizations at Redding Air Attack Base with ribbon cutting ceremony

REDDING, Calif. – The U.S. Forest Service held a ribbon cutting ceremony at Redding Air Attack Base April 25, 2024, to celebrate the completion of the first phase of safety improvements and modernization.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District, in collaboration with the USFS and the City of Redding, has completed the first phase of the $28 million upgrade and modernization of Redding Air Attack Base.
This project will increase the loading capacity of air tanker aircraft by 132% and allow up to five aircraft to be loaded simultaneously, up from the current two. The additional number of deceleration pits will also help reduce congestion when parking and taxiing aircraft and provide aircraft with safer and better access to and from the maintenance pits.
“What a milestone,” said Kara Chadwick, deputy regional forester for the USFS Pacific Southwest Region. “Phase one focused on the air tanker base, and we now have the ability to accommodate five next-generation air tankers and fill all five of those air tankers with inhibitor at the same time. This will significantly improve our firefighting capabilities.”
While speaking at the event, Jennifer Eberlien, regional forester for the USFS Pacific Southwest Region, said the current facilities at the air base, which were built in 1984, remain unchanged.
“The current facilities could not keep up with the larger, faster aircraft, ensuring the continued safety of personnel, aircraft and the base. This base is the only one in the world designed and built specifically for the next generation of air tankers.”
It is also important for the USACE team to help implement these upgrades. Robert Caputo, area engineer for the Sacramento District, highlights the unique importance of this project between USACE and USFS.
“It not only expands our interagency and international support portfolio, but also serves as a bridge in our partnership between our organizations and the community,” Caputo said.
Caputo also emphasized the importance of supporting our colleagues, who sometimes have different resources and support than an agency like USACE.
“This collaboration is a testament to USACE’s commitment to the success of the USFS and its mission,” Caputo said.
This project spans multiple agencies and requires extensive planning and coordination as it becomes increasingly technical and complex.
“We are combining concurrent flight operations in support of firefighting operations with active construction work by modifying their existing facility to meet new requirements and technology.”
Northern California and surrounding areas have been highly vulnerable to fire risk in recent years. Through the support of our partner agencies such as the USFS, the State of California and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, these upgrades play a critical role in fire hazard identification and reduction, Caputo said.
Representative Doug LaMalfa and City of Redding Mayor Tenessa Audette also helped celebrate and speak at the ribbon cutting
With the first phase complete, USACE expects the next phase to be awarded later this year and construction on the 70-year-old hangar at the air base could begin before the end of the calendar year.