U.S. JTF-Bravo Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras (Photos)
JTF-Bravo provides support to Honduran forces fighting wildfire
Servicemembers from Joint Task Force-Bravo began providing support to the Honduran Fire Department, Air Force and Army, at the request of President Juan Orlando Hernandez, in an effort to control a fire in Jeanette Kawas National Park, Tela, Atlántida department, Honduras, March 31, 2016.
The fire began on Tuesday, March 29, 2016 and continued to spread in the area, consuming a large portion of the park’s core.
Response forces have not yet ascertained the total area damaged by the fire.
Jeanette Kawas National Park belongs to the Subsystem of Protected Areas of the Tela Bay and is one of 10 protected areas for the conservation of biodiversity in Honduras.
Given the difficult terrain and access to the area, Joint Task Force-Bravo will support with UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook helicopter capabilities, supplementing the efforts of the host nation to stop the fire from spreading and endangering any people in the area or further destroying the protected Honduran park.
The Helicopters have Bambi Buckets and hoist capabilities to bring in water from local reservoirs or potentially hoist out anyone in danger.
Two U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawks depart Soto Cano Air Base in support of firefighting efforts on the North coast of Honduras, Mar. 31, 2016, after Juan Orlando Hernandez, President of Honduras, sent a request for support to the U.S. Ambassador in Honduras. The helicopters, assigned to the 1-228th Aviation Regiment, maintain Bambi Bucket and hoist capabilities, allowing them to support Honduran fire response forces fighting fires like those affecting the Jeanette Kawas National Park in northern Honduras. (U.S. Army photo by Martin Chahin/Released)
Two U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawks depart Soto Cano Air Base in support of firefighting efforts on the North coast of Honduras, Mar. 31, 2016, after Juan Orlando Hernandez, President of Honduras, sent a request for support to the U.S. Ambassador in Honduras. The helicopters, assigned to the 1-228th Aviation Regiment, maintain Bambi Bucket and hoist capabilities, allowing them to support Honduran fire response forces fighting fires like those affecting the Jeanette Kawas National Park in northern Honduras. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Christopher Mesnard/Released)
A U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk departs Soto Cano Air Base in support of firefighting efforts on the North coast of Honduras, Mar. 31, 2016, after Juan Orlando Hernandez, President of Honduras, sent a request for support to the U.S. Ambassador in Honduras. The helicopters, assigned to the 1-228th Aviation Regiment, maintain a Bambi Bucket capability, allowing them to support Honduran fire response forces fighting fires like those affecting the Jeanette Kawas National Park in northern Honduras. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Christopher Mesnard/Released)
A U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook departs Soto Cano Air Base in support of firefighting efforts on the North coast of Honduras, Mar. 31, 2016, after Juan Orlando Hernandez, President of Honduras, sent a request for support to the U.S. Ambassador in Honduras. The helicopters, assigned to the 1-228th Aviation Regiment, maintain a Bambi Bucket capability, allowing them to support Honduran fire response forces fighting fires like those affecting the Jeanette Kawas National Park in northern Honduras. (U.S. Army photo by Martin Chahin/Released)
A U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook departs Soto Cano Air Base in support of firefighting efforts on the North coast of Honduras, Mar. 31, 2016, after Juan Orlando Hernandez, President of Honduras, sent a request for support to the U.S. Ambassador in Honduras. The helicopters, assigned to the 1-228th Aviation Regiment, maintain a Bambi Bucket capability, allowing them to support Honduran fire response forces fighting fires like those affecting the Jeanette Kawas National Park in northern Honduras. (U.S. Army photo by Martin Chahin/Released)
A U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook departs Soto Cano Air Base in support of firefighting efforts on the North coast of Honduras, Mar. 31, 2016, after Juan Orlando Hernandez, President of Honduras, sent a request for support to the U.S. Ambassador in Honduras. The members of Joint Task Force-Bravo regularly train with the countries of Central America to respond to firefighting scenarios, due to various hard to reach locations vulnerable to wildfires. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Christopher Mesnard/Released)
A U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook prepares to depart Soto Cano Air Base in support of firefighting efforts on the North coast of Honduras, Mar. 31, 2016, after Juan Orlando Hernandez, President of Honduras, sent a request for support to the U.S. Ambassador in Honduras. The aircraft was one of several which responded from Joint Task Force-Bravo, aiding the Honduran Fire Department, Army and Air Force already working to control the fire in the Jeanette Kawas National Park. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Christopher Mesnard/Released)
Two U.S. Army CH-47 Chinooks depart Soto Cano Air Base in support of firefighting efforts on the North coast of Honduras, Mar. 31, 2016, after Juan Orlando Hernandez, President of Honduras, sent a request for support to the U.S. Ambassador in Honduras. The helicopters provided assistance to the Honduran Air Force, Army and Fire Department, with a refillable, water carrying Bambi Bucket system and hoist capability to help retrieve people who may come under harm’s way on the ground. (U.S. Army photo by Martin Chahin/Released)
Two U.S. Army CH-47 Chinooks depart Soto Cano Air Base in support of firefighting efforts on the North coast of Honduras, Mar. 31, 2016, after Juan Orlando Hernandez, President of Honduras, sent a request for support to the U.S. Ambassador in Honduras. The helicopters, assigned to the 1-228th Aviation Regiment, maintain a Bambi Bucket capability, allowing them to support Honduran fire response forces fighting fires like those affecting the Jeanette Kawas National Park in northern Honduras. (U.S. Army photo by Martin Chahin/Released)
La FTC-Bravo apoya a fuerzas hondureñas en combatir incendio
Miembros de la Fuerza de Tarea Conjunta-Bravo comenzaron a brindar apoyo al Cuerpo de Bomberos, Fuerza Aérea y Ejercito de Honduras, a petición del Presidente Juan Orlando Hernandez, en el esfuerzo por combatir el incendio en el Parque Nacional Jeanette Kawas, en Tela, departamento de Atlántida, Honduras, el 31 de marzo del 2016.
El incendio comenzó el 29 de marzo del 2016 y continuo esparciéndose en el área, consumiendo una gran parte del núcleo del parque.
Las fuerzas de respuesta aún no han determinado el total del área dañada por el incendio.
El Parque Nacional Jeanette Kawas pertenece al Subsistema de Áreas Protegidas de la Bahía de Tela y es uno de 10 áreas protegidas para la conservación de la biodiversidad de Honduras.
Debido al terreno y difícil acceso en el área, la Fuerza de Tarea Conjunta-Bravo apoyara con las capacidades de los helicópteros UH-60 Black Hawk y CH-47 Chinook, para complementar los esfuerzos de la nación por controlar el incendio y detener la destrucción al área protegida hondureña.
Los helicópteros cuentan con capacidades de transporte de agua y de levantamiento, para sustraer agua de reservas locales o para el posible rescate a personas en peligro.
(Fuerza de Tarea Conjunta-Bravo, Oficina de Relaciones Publicas)
US Southcom 1-228 JTF-Bravo support
A U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook and UH-60 Black Hawk provide Bambi Bucket firefighting capabilities in support of a Honduran effort to extinguish a forest fire, March 31, 2016, near Tela Honduras, at the request of Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez. The two aircraft were a part of a package of helicopters that Joint Task Force-Bravo, located at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, sent to help the Hondurans respond to the fire. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Westin Warburton/ Released)
A U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk with the 1-228th Aviation Regiment prepares to take off with a Bambi Bucket March 31, 2016, Tela, Honduras, to respond to a request from Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez for support in extinguishing a forest fire near Tela. The Honduran Fire Department, Air Force and Army worked with U.S. air assets from Joint Task Force-Bravo at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, to control and extinguish the fire. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Westin Warburton/ Released)
A U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook uses a Bambi Bucket to drop water on a fire March 31, 2016, near Tela, Honduras, at the request of Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez. The Chinooks were a part of aircraft from the 1-228th Aviation Regiment to support the Honduran Fire Department, Air Force and Army in the firefighting efforts. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Westin Warburton/ Released)
A U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk with the 1-228th Aviation Regiment prepares to take off with a Bambi Bucket March 31, 2016, Tela, Honduras, to respond to a request from Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez for support in extinguishing a forest fire near Tela. The Honduran Fire Department, Air Force and Army worked with U.S. air assets from Joint Task Force-Bravo at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, to control and extinguish the fire. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Westin Warburton/ Released)
A U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook fills a Bambi Bucket from a lagoon March 31, 2016, near Tela, Honduras, to help extinguish a fire nearby. The Bambi Bucket is a device the Chinooks can use to drop up to 1,500 gallons of water on a fire during a single pass. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Westin Warburton/ Released)
A U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook uses a Bambi Bucket to drop water on a fire March 31, 2016, near Tela, Honduras, at the request of Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez. The Chinooks were a part of aircraft from the 1-228th Aviation Regiment to support the Honduran Fire Department, Air Force and Army in the firefighting efforts. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Westin Warburton/ Released)
U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the 1-228th Aviation Regiment connect a Bambi Bucket, used to fight fires, to a U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook March 31, 2016, Tela, Honduras, to respond to Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez’s request to help fight a forest fire. The Honduran Fire Department, Air Force and Army initiated the response to the fire, and the U.S. Service members from Joint Task Force-Bravo provided support to help prevent the fire from spreading to populated areas. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Westin Warburton/ Released)
A U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook uses a Bambi Bucket to drop water on a fire April 1, 2016, near Tela, Honduras, at the request of Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez. The Chinooks were a part of aircraft from the 1-228th Aviation Regiment to support the Honduran Fire Department, Air Force and Army in the firefighting efforts. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Westin Warburton/ Released)
U.S. Army Lt. Col. Daniel Moore talks with Honduran Lt. Col. Julio Hernandez and other members of the Honduran Air Force April 1, 2016, Tela, Honduras, to coordinate aerial-firefighting efforts along the northern coast of Honduras. Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez requested the support of U.S. air assets to help the Honduran Fire Department, Air Force and Army, which were already engaged in helping extinguish the forest fire near Tela. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Westin Warburton/ Released)
Source: by Maria Pinel, Joint Task Force (JTF)-Bravo, Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras – (jtfb.southcom.mil) 04 April 2016 / 31 March 2016
