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Air Force RC-26 aircraft map, ID wildfire hotspots in western US

  • Published
  • Air Forces Northern
U.S. Air Force RC-26B Metroliner aircraft assigned to 162nd Fighter Wing, Arizona Air National Guard and 141st Air Refueling Wing, Washington Air National Guard, use their highly mobile platforms in order to map and detect wildland fires and hotspots in the Western region of the U.S. in support of the U.S. Forest Service at the Eugene Airport, Eugene, Ore. As of Aug. 9, the RC-26 crews have flown 60 missions creating infrared images and video of hotspots in order to help direct teams to those locations before they become fires. First Air Force (Air Forces Northern), U.S. Northern Command’s Air Component, is the DoD’s operational lead for the aerial military wildland fire fighting response. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Airman 1st Class Thomas Cox)