News: Riverside County OKs deal for Hemet air-attack base

Riverside County OKs deal for proposed air-attack base in Hemet

By HERBERT ATIENZA
The Press-Enterprise

HEMET - An agreement that could pave the way for construction of a $23.9 million Cal Fire air-attack base at Hemet-Ryan Airport was approved Tuesday.

The Riverside County Board of Supervisors, in a unanimous vote, authorized a ground lease between the county and the state to allow construction of the new firefighting base on about 12 acres at the Hemet airport.

The agreement is expected to bolster Cal Fire's request for state money to build the air-attack base in west Hemet. State fire officials say they hope to break ground on the facility as soon as the first quarter of 2009 and be finished by 2011.

The agreement calls for construction of a new hangar for observation aircraft and helicopters, a two-story air operations facility, a dormitory and dining hall, a three-bay fire apparatus building, projective weather canopy for S-2 air tankers, and a fire retardant mixing plant with a capacity of 40,000 gallons.

Cal Fire is expected to set up temporary facilities before construction begins.

"With California and western states in a prolonged drought, we need to get this project under way as soon as possible and be ready to launch firefighting operations out of the new facilities," said Assistant County Executive Officer Robin Zimpfer, who heads the Riverside County Economic Development Agency. The agency manages and operates Hemet-Ryan Airport.

She said the proposed base would provide Cal Fire and its fleet of air tankers and firefighting crews with the best air-attack facilities in the state.

Cal Fire Battalion Chief John Winder, who is stationed at Hemet-Ryan Airport, said the agreement will help the project get off the ground.

"In order for state finance to include it (on the budget), you have to have a project that's ready to go," said Winder, who said he hopes the project would be part of the state's 2008-09 budget.

The lease agreement, which lasts for 50 years, calls for the state to fund $21.4 million of the cost of the project; the county would contribute $2.5 million, to be used primarily for designing the base. The annual rent is set at $69,729.

Winder said the project would completely replace and expand the existing 1950s-era base, which has been in use for 50 years.

"It's been in need of replacement for quite awhile," he said.

The California Department of Forestry had suggested moving firefighting aircraft from Hemet-Ryan to March Air Reserve Base, but those plans were abandoned last year. Officials concluded that leaving the aircraft at Hemet-Ryan is safer for pilots because of better weather conditions and because it would provide quicker response for fire-prone mountain communities.

Vern Lauritzen, chief of staff for 3rd District Supervisor Jeff Stone, said a new air-attack base at Hemet-Ryan Airport would greatly improve firefighting capabilities in the region. Stone championed keeping the base at Hemet-Ryan Airport.

Winder said the base played a major role in firefighting operations during the recent wildfires in Southern California.

"We seem to be centrally located and we're not so restricted by weather," Winder said. He said some areas along the coast are susceptible to fog.

"Because of our location, we're one of the biggest and busiest in the nation," he said.

The Hemet-Ryan air-attack base serves the entire state but is focused on Riverside County, northern San Diego County and southern San Bernardino County, he said.