After more than eight days of operations, in a joint and coordinated work conducted by different institutions, it was possible to fully control the forest fires that occurred in the locality of Usme and the eastern hills of Bogotá D.C.
As a complement to the important operation of the firefighters and relief corps who worked at the ground to neutralize the vegetation cover conflagrations, the Colombian Aerospace Force, through two UH-60 BlackHawk helicopters of the Air Combat Commands No.2 and No.5, conducted with the Bambi Bucket system 385 water drops with 484,000 liters of water, with 299 gallons of retardant liquid.
This, with the logistical support and the military resources of the Military Transport Air Command- CATAM, which during these days supported the firefighting missions and providing the mobile aeronautical fueling system Forward Area Refueling Equipment-FARE.
It is noteworthy, the expertise of the crews of the Aerospace Force and the training in water collection techniques and maneuvers over difficult-to-access terrain, operating the Bambi Bucket system, which, along with aircraft of Colombian National Army, National Police and civilian companies, was the strategic ally to fight the fires.
In this way, the joint work led by the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management in coordination with the National Personnel Recovery Center and with the support of the Military Forces, National Police, the Fire Department, Civil Defense and the Mayor's Office of Bogotá, added the necessary work for the protection of the fauna and flora of the forests of the Colombian capital city.
Source: Public Communication Office CENRP
