Arizona hosts wildfire aerial supervision academy for 2026 season preparation
Iain Hoey
Share this content
Wildfire aviation training academy begins in Arizona
Wildland firefighters specialising in aerial supervision and airtanker operations are convening in Arizona over the next month to prepare for a potentially busy 2026 Fire Year.
The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) stated that the National Aerial Supervision Training Academy (NASTA) will run primarily at the Phoenix Interagency Fire Center at Mesa Gateway Airport in Mesa, Arizona, and at Fort Huachuca in Sierra Vista, Arizona.
The academy is described as an umbrella for about a dozen aerial firefighting and support courses for personnel from numerous agencies.
The course areas described include aerial supervision, helicopter coordination, ground-based operations and aircraft dispatching.
The training is described as standardised across federal, state and local agencies to support a single approach to aviation operations during wildfires on any jurisdiction.
Courses, partners and coordination requirements
Airspace over wildfires is described as tightly controlled and requiring close coordination.
NIFC stated that the US Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service hosts the training and is joined by personnel from the US Wildland Fire Service, CAL FIRE, the State of Alaska and four military airlift wings that are part of the Modular Airborne Firefighting Systems program (MAFFS).
NIFC described this as the 12th annual academy and said it is expected to be among the largest.
Chris Tipton, fixed wing operations branch chief for the U.S. Forest Service, Fire and Aviation Management, said: “This is truly a team effort.
“We couldn’t do it without the cooperation of our other federal, state, local and military partners.”
Tipton said: “The courses offered as part of the academy are all geared towards attaining qualifications that will better prepare each firefighter for the season ahead”
Public aircraft activity and training schedule
Members of the public may see aircraft conducting practice water drops in remote locations on the Tonto and Coronado National Forests and other areas.
Arizona is described as an ideal location for aerial fire training due to weather, topography and access.
Clear skies are described as reducing the chance for lost training time due to inclement weather.
NIFC stated that the Phoenix Interagency Fire Center can accommodate the number of enrolled students and the aircraft used for the training.
The academy is scheduled to conclude on 11 March.