b'64 CPREMERGENCY OPERATIONSCasper/Natrona County Intl Opens New Aerial Firefighting Base BY SCOTT BERMANFACTS&FIGURESCasper/Natrona County Internationaloperated by onein this case, the Bureau of Project: Aerial Firefighting Base Airport (CPR) in Wyoming recentlyLand Management. Location: Casper/Natrona County Intl Airport, in WY led the charge to beef up aerialThe nearly $6.3 million facility that opened Cost: $6.28 millionfirefighting infrastructure on its airfield, teaminglast June replaced a crucial, but makeshift, with two federal agencies to create a purpose- base for single-engine airtankers. The Funding: $3.68 million from the Bureau of Landbuilt facility that supports the intensifying fight Management; $2 million from U.S. Forestry Service;new fully equipped station supports both $600,000 loan from airport (3.65% for 15 yrs) against wildfires in the region. single-engine and large airtankers that Construction: June 2023-April 2024. (PermanentThe airport pieced together fundingneed to be fueled and filled with retardant, tanks, plumbing & electrical for retardant plant arefrom the Bureau of Land Management andand also allows crews to load two aircraft still in progress, as well as minor modifications toU.S. Forest Service to create the Caspersimultaneously. increase efficiencies.) Interagency Air Tanker Base for aircraft that Design/Engineering: Ardurra GroupThe 5.2-acre base includes:drop retardant on fires throughout Wyominga 1,600-square-foot Operations Building;General Contractor: Ramshorn Construction and nine other Western states. (See Facts Key Benefits: Ability to support both single- and Figures section to the left for details an asphalt parking area for aircraft; engine & large air tankers fighting fires throughoutabout the funding split.) two concrete loading pads;WY & 9 surrounding states; ability to load 2 aircraftIt made sense to s torage for extra hoses, fittings, safety simultaneouslyequipment and backup gas pumps;2024 Firefighting Activity: 450+ missions tous for this to happen, fight more than 80 fires; at peak, planes dropped upsays CPR Directora retention area for tanks containing fire to 76,000 gallons of retardant/day; 856,000 gallons ofGlenn Januska, whoretardant; retardant during the fire season spearheaded thea washdown pad, where retardant is Single-Engine Air Tankers Deployed: AT-802s project. I didnt knowrinsed off aircraft; andLarge Air Tankers Deployed: MD-87s; BAE-146sit at the time that weGLENN JANUSKA an evaporation pond, which holds & RJ-85s from Neptune Aviation & AeroFlight; Lockheedwere cutting-edge, herinsewater that contains retardant until C-130Qs adds, referring to the formula of two federalthe water evaporates and the retardant Retardant Used: Phos-Chek LC-95A-FX, agencies providing funding for a facility to beis collected and removed. by Perimeter SolutionsMay | June 2025AirportImprovement.com'