I don't know squat about the bureaucratic red tape processes involved in this issue. I do know that 132 square miles (84,035 acres) of charred land involved is one heck of a lot of land to let burn before you render or sign a decision to get appropriate firefighting equipment in place. Let that fire come close to one of the 'i dotters - t crossers' home and watch the ink spread..........

I'm shocked, SHOCKED, to hear the Bush Administration is not reacting quickly to an emergency.

O....M....G!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is typical United States Forest Service - they behave this way on almost all issues - slow, slow, slow. Most employees are afraid to make decisions - they get nothing done.

I retired from federal service so I have a good idea about red tape.

In this case, I blame the two Senators of CA. If I was one of them, I would form a tag team with the other Senator. One go to one Secretary level office and speak to him/her directly in their office. Say that they are putting a hold on their salaries until the planes are in operation and then do it.

You would see the red tape dissapear like magic.

Sounds like the Forest Service and FAA are now under FEMA's direction - or lack of it! You can bet your 'posterior' that if that fire were in TEXAS, those planes would have been airborn for days! Refueled and reloaded in the air!!
How many times are we gonna let this administration 'drop the ball' before we 'throw the bums out' as we used to say in Chicago???

This is ridiculous I guess as long as their house is not in the line of fire they will take their sweet time in the getting the paper done instead of expediting process... Ask me if they care?...

This is the Katrina of wildfires, so why should the government act any differently?

One would think that the
Federal Government would have learned something from Katrina.

I am beyond words....

A good question to ask is why isn'r the governor, and your state representatives ding something about it at the top level.probaly because they don't care the fire isn't on thier turf so they don't need to worry. This is just a small example of how weak this whole administration is when it come to the welfare of the common person.Katrina, Fires burning thousands of homes, levee's that are predicted to fail,insuficient equiptment for our troops, Thats the Bush Cheney legacy"we'll take it under advisement.
if 20,000 californians who live in the area would get on the phone and call their congress men and senators, and keep on calling until you get some help.Load them with mail and best of pray as we in the resat of the cuntry are doing for all of you in harms way

The determination of the airworthiness of the aircraft must be done correctly. The 'i-dotters and t-crossers' aren't doing that to keep busy. This story is intentionally worded to make it sound like a fed mix-up, but it's standard procedure. There are many other tools at the disposal of firefighting crews that also aren't being utilized properly, but it ain't as sexy to the MSM as the government standing in the way of salvation.

This is crazy. The U.S Forrest Service is going to sit there while helpless elderly people are caught in the fire. Nice going, American Government.

Can't the govenor step in and say to hell with the bureaucrats, send in the planes?

Once more, the Bush admin blows it. How many people must suffer under this man? The fires are burning, everyone can see it on the news, but the planes are not OK'd yet??!! If the fires were in TX, I'll bet we would have 'em flying and fighting the fires 24/7.

If this is indeed a red tape issue compounded by jurisdictional issues, the logical person to be involved is Rep.Elton Gallegly (US House 24th district)It may be in Rep. Galleglys best interest to start working the phone NOW if he has not already. I am a few miles from the fire and dont see any fixed wing aircraft, although there are close to 2300 firefighters from local state and federal agencies working this fire. The area is extremely remote and some areas have not burned in decades. The fire briefly threatened Fillmore, santa Paula and Ojai but has since moved North due to winds away from the main population centers. The fire is at best 20% contained as of Wed AM. Also this fire started labor day weekend...lots of time to get the folks together and bring together resources. Get on the phone to Gallegly's office. He is up for re-election, but faces no real challenge. This is his last stated term, and says he wont run again. He needs to throw his weight behind this issue if the ABC News Brian Ross story is the real deal.

Hm-m-m-...this seems like a repeat of Katrina where we saw dead bodies floating around while the Bush's government stood around looking at each other...

I am eagerly awaiting the docudrama that will tell me how this is all Bill Clinton's fault...

This is so stupid that it is not even a joke! Get rid of these people and put someone in place that that knows what they are doing and do it now.

This is sad. I just don't have words for my disgust in the "Leaders" of the State of California and the "Leaders" of this Country. Sounds like they want California to just burn.

This is ridiculous. It is now Friday afternoon and smoke and ash are blowing back over Ojai. We need all the resources we can get. Please check out The Ojai Post (http://www.ojaipost.com/) for the most comprehensive Day Fire coverage.

For those of you blaming the FS, read the article again. It's the FAA, not the FS. If you're going to be mad, at least point your anger in the right direction.

For those of you who have never seen the DC 10 in action, there are two picture from a fire in Washington state on InciWeb.

I can't speak for why the FS is slow to approve the use of the DC-10. However, having spent most of my adult life in aviation, I do understand why the FAA goes by procedures to give flight approval for an aircraft. Those procedures were written into the Code of Federal Regulations because they are the only way to assure the safety of both those on the aircraft and those on the ground. A B-747 is a big complex machine. Every nut, bolt and wire on the aircraft must be proven to be airworthy. The flight procedures and operating limitations have to, likewise, be established to assure safety of both crew and individuals on the ground. It is the little things that cause aircraft accidents. These are things like wiring that shorts and starts a fire, a fuel system that is hard to understand or a procedure that can cause a critical item to fail. To put it bluntly, a B-747 crashing on top of those elderly people will be more likely to leave them dead than a wildfire that they can evacuate away from. I get frustrated with the FAA redtape but I certainly apprecitate what it represents when I climb on an airline to fly some place.

I agree with David. As a pilot, aircraft owner and aircraft mechanic, I too understand that proceedures are in place that must be followed, and for good reason. The FAA is not a political office run by the current administration. It's rules and regulations have been in place for years.
In this society, were the plane to be released and crash on those elderly people, who would be first to say "Sue those irresponsible beaurocrats who unleashed that dangerous plane on us!"
In the heat of the moment (sorry) it's easy to lose perspective, but we have a very safe aviation industry for a good reason.

Dave and Victor, How long has the proposal to use the planes been in the works to be approved?? These planes are not waiting to be used for pleasue tours. I would think for the purpose they will be used for they would get priority in the approval process.