Chile had been burning for 6 days when the long-awaited Ten Tanker landed in national territory. A tanker plane that has three tanks: two of 10,222 liters and one of 15 thousand, in total more than 30 thousand liters that can be loaded in 10 minutes. Water and retardant can be spread in 4 seconds, between 60 and 90 meters above ground level and at a speed of 277 km.
Read more about the Ten Tanker here.
The plane was received in Chile as a superhero. President Boric welcomed him and dozens of people crowded to see him outside Concepción’s Carriel Sur airport. Its take-off towards the affected areas was applauded and the first flyby was broadcast live.
Read more here.
On January 30, the preventive early warning for the threat of forest fires, in the Ñuble Region, was already decreed. In the early hours of February 1, an incident began in Chillán Viejo. Firefighters in Chile reported that the flames began on a property on the way to Quilmo. A few hours later, the National Service for Disaster Prevention and Response (Senapred) decreed a red alert. Two days later, on February 2, official statistics reported that 4,768.83 hectares (ha) were affected. On February 3, the fire spread to 46,677.30 ha. That day the help of the Ten Tanker was requested. The aircraft landed in Chile when the burned hectares reached 279,154.80 and the fire affected at least three regions.
But why was his arrival delayed so many days? Delay in making the decision? Just logistics? A question that several have asked themselves and that they answer from the National Forestry Corporation (Conaf).
“This aircraft is part of a planning that we worked during the winter, so we contacted the Ten Tanker company and negotiated their support, if required.”
Given the emergency, the efforts were activated “in which, with the support of the Ministry of the Interior and Agriculture, the effort was made to bring it and have it operating in our country at this time,” they add.
Once the decision was made to “activate the participation of the Ten Tanker, 72 hours were required for logistics and travel,” explain from Conaf.
How much does the Ten Tanker cost?
By contract, the aircraft will remain in Chile for 14 days with 14 hours of operation, which implies a cost of US $ 2,334,500, which is equivalent to about $ 1,800 million, an amount that was paid in advance. The agreement establishes that, in addition, Conaf must pay for all the fuel used in the flights to quell the fires and that a total of 28 flight hours must be made, at a value of US $ 15,000 (about $ 12 million) for each hour of flight.
If, after that time, the services of the aircraft are still needed, its stay can be extended by a value of US $ 65,000 (about $ 52 million) per day, plus the costs for flight hours and the operation of the crew in Chile.
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