GA/NC/TN Wildfires Monitoring

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Airboss

Silent Key
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Mar 28, 2004
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200
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Brasstown, NC
Most of you are probably not aware that county, state and USFS fire officials here in the southeast US are battling major wildfires on USFS, state forest and private lands due to a major drought. I have had several request from RR members and others via private email to post any of the US government freqs associated with the firefighting effort. These wildfires are raging in northern Georgia, eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina.

The list below is based on actual monitoring over the last week from here in the center of it all Brasstown NC. (All freqs in MHz and mode is NFM unless otherwise indicated)

163.1000 Simplex National Interagency Fire Center NIFC All Call
164.1500 R/input PL 100.0/114.8/127.3/136.5/186.2 Chattahoochie-Oconee NF Admin (North) R/input to 168.7750
164.1500 Simplex PL 114.8 Chattahoochie-Oconee NF USFS Air-Ground
164.1500 Simplex Nantahala NF Air-to-Ground 2 (Aircraft to Fire Hotshots)
168.0250/172.4000 PL 127.3 Chattahoochie-Oconee NF Law Enforcement Net
168.1000 Simplex National Interagency Fire Center NIRSC Command 2
168.1250 R/Input Nantahala NF Admin Zone 1 Dispatch R/input to 171.4750
168.6500 Simplex PL 110.9 Pisgah NF Pisgah-Air Flight Following Net (Asheville Dispatch)
168.6500 Simplex PL 110.9 National Interagency Fire Center National Flight Following
168.7750/164.1500 PL 136.5 Chattahoochie-Oconee NF Admin (North)
169.2000 Simplex National Interagency Fire Center NIFC Air Tactics 03
169.9000 Simplex Nantahala NF Fireground/Mobile-Mobile
169.9250/164.1250 PL 103.5 Cherokee NF Admin (Southern Net)
171.4750/168.1250 PL 103.5 Nantahala NF Admin Zone 1 Dispatch
406.2750/415.2750 PL 110.9 Chattahoochie-Oconee NF Air Net UHF Backbone
406.2750/415.2750 PL 123.0 Pisgah NF Admin Net UHF Backbone
406.3875/415.3875 P25 NAC 293 Nantahala NF Admin Net Zone 1 UHF Backbone
406.5750/415.5750 PL 136.5 Chattahoochie-Oconee NF Admin Net UHF Backbone
411.2250 Simplex PL 123.0 Nantahala NF Nantahala Air Net
411.2750/415.2750 Chattahoochie-Oconee NF Air Net UHF Link to Regional Office/Sector Office
411.2750 Simplex PL 123.0 Pisgah NF Air Net UHF Backbone
411.3750 Simplex PL 123.0 Pisgah NF Admin Net UHF Backbone

Civilian aero freqs being used by various state and federal assets include 122.850 122.925 122,975 123.025 123.050 123.075 123.150 (all AM mode)

Local fire departments and state forestry freqs are also active and those are listed in the RadioRef database for the areas under fire conditions.

I will post further updates in this thread as new info pops up.

73 from western smoky North Carolina

Chief
 

ecps92

Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2002
Messages
14,360
Location
Taxachusetts
Some of the Channels are patched into VIPER
ie: INC 11 VHF 151.1750 136.5 is patched to VIPER "Event Bravo 2"

171.5750 S 131.8 is Air-Ground for the Whipping Creek Road fires

Most of you are probably not aware that county, state and USFS fire officials here in the southeast US are battling major wildfires on USFS, state forest and private lands due to a major drought. I have had several request from RR members and others via private email to post any of the US government freqs associated with the firefighting effort. These wildfires are raging in northern Georgia, eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina.

The list below is based on actual monitoring over the last week from here in the center of it all Brasstown NC. (All freqs in MHz and mode is NFM unless otherwise indicated)

163.1000 Simplex National Interagency Fire Center NIFC All Call
164.1500 R/input PL 100.0/114.8/127.3/136.5/186.2 Chattahoochie-Oconee NF Admin (North) R/input to 168.7750
164.1500 Simplex PL 114.8 Chattahoochie-Oconee NF USFS Air-Ground
164.1500 Simplex Nantahala NF Air-to-Ground 2 (Aircraft to Fire Hotshots)
168.0250/172.4000 PL 127.3 Chattahoochie-Oconee NF Law Enforcement Net
168.1000 Simplex National Interagency Fire Center NIRSC Command 2
168.1250 R/Input Nantahala NF Admin Zone 1 Dispatch R/input to 171.4750
168.6500 Simplex PL 110.9 Pisgah NF Pisgah-Air Flight Following Net (Asheville Dispatch)
168.6500 Simplex PL 110.9 National Interagency Fire Center National Flight Following
168.7750/164.1500 PL 136.5 Chattahoochie-Oconee NF Admin (North)
169.2000 Simplex National Interagency Fire Center NIFC Air Tactics 03
169.9000 Simplex Nantahala NF Fireground/Mobile-Mobile
169.9250/164.1250 PL 103.5 Cherokee NF Admin (Southern Net)
171.4750/168.1250 PL 103.5 Nantahala NF Admin Zone 1 Dispatch
406.2750/415.2750 PL 110.9 Chattahoochie-Oconee NF Air Net UHF Backbone
406.2750/415.2750 PL 123.0 Pisgah NF Admin Net UHF Backbone
406.3875/415.3875 P25 NAC 293 Nantahala NF Admin Net Zone 1 UHF Backbone
406.5750/415.5750 PL 136.5 Chattahoochie-Oconee NF Admin Net UHF Backbone
411.2250 Simplex PL 123.0 Nantahala NF Nantahala Air Net
411.2750/415.2750 Chattahoochie-Oconee NF Air Net UHF Link to Regional Office/Sector Office
411.2750 Simplex PL 123.0 Pisgah NF Air Net UHF Backbone
411.3750 Simplex PL 123.0 Pisgah NF Admin Net UHF Backbone

Civilian aero freqs being used by various state and federal assets include 122.850 122.925 122,975 123.025 123.050 123.075 123.150 (all AM mode)

Local fire departments and state forestry freqs are also active and those are listed in the RadioRef database for the areas under fire conditions.

I will post further updates in this thread as new info pops up.

73 from western smoky North Carolina

Chief
 

ai8o

Brachiating Tetrapod
Joined
Oct 6, 2007
Messages
331
Location
Lexington, NC
Well there is a reason they call them the SMOKY mountains!

USFS RADIO techs working with NCFS to maintain repeaters and commo equipment on 172.225. Unknown input.

Also I hear other people coordinating moving equipment around.
Asheville seems to be the HQ for this.

Normally this is used at the Uwharrie NF.
 

Airboss

Silent Key
Joined
Mar 28, 2004
Messages
200
Location
Brasstown, NC
Some of the Channels are patched into VIPER
ie: INC 11 VHF 151.1750 136.5 is patched to VIPER "Event Bravo 2"

171.5750 S 131.8 is Air-Ground for the Whipping Creek Road fires

All those are fires to our east. But thanks Bill for the update. I will file tham away in my freq db.

Chief
 

Airboss

Silent Key
Joined
Mar 28, 2004
Messages
200
Location
Brasstown, NC
Quick Update:

Three new aero freqs


122.325 Fixed wing air tankers
122.425 Helo air tankers (Boteler Fire helos using our Brasstown strip over the hill from us as a refuel point. Will try to get some pics.
123.450 Used for fire site aerial recon.

It is being reported now in our local press that most of these wildfires have been started by arsonist.

More soon

Chief
 

spacellamaman

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municipality of great state of insanity

nd5y

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Location
Wichita Falls, TX
TFRs for firefighting usually show a contact frequency.
The ones for the TFRs in that area today are:
120.025
122.375
122.425
123.0
123.15
123.175
123.45
 
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ecps92

Member
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Messages
14,360
Location
Taxachusetts
172.2250 was the input to 168.7250

Which according to Notes, was the input for ALL of the USFC NC Forests.
Well there is a reason they call them the SMOKY mountains!

USFS RADIO techs working with NCFS to maintain repeaters and commo equipment on 172.225. Unknown input.

Also I hear other people coordinating moving equipment around.
Asheville seems to be the HQ for this.

Normally this is used at the Uwharrie NF.
 

p1879

Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2004
Messages
362
I am finding some of the a/g frequencies active. They give size-up and other info to ground units, very informative. This comes from the RR NIFC Wiki: (note some are same)

North Carolina 167.4250 AG07 166.8500 AG54 168.5375
South Carolina 167.5250 AG07 166.8500 AG54 168.5375
Georgia 167.4250 AG81 166.9500 AG54 168.5375

Look to find action on the USFS Com and Tac frequencies too.Saturday may bring some more wind into the equation.
p1879
 

Airboss

Silent Key
Joined
Mar 28, 2004
Messages
200
Location
Brasstown, NC
Here is an update on just the A/G freqs at the big fires in our region. Not more than 500 feet as the crow flies from the house at the Brasstown airstrip the USFS has set up a helibase. We have at least four helos using the facility. Hope to get some pics tomorrow and will post the to my Btown Monitoring Post blog.

120.0250 Tellico Fire A/G
122.3750 Maple Springs/Old Roughy Fire USFS A/G Nantahala NF
122.4250 Boteler/Knob Fire USFS A/G Nanatahala NF
123.0000 Bench Bluff/Flipper Bend/Cliff Tops Smith Mtn Fire TDF A/G
123.1500 Rough Ridge Fire USFS A/G Chattahoochie NF
123.1750 Chestnut Knob Fire NCFS A/G (Morgantown)
123.4500 Party Rock Fire NCFS A/G (Lake Lure NC)

Hearing two UHF links rebroadcasting National Air and more on 411.500 and 411.275 for the Georgia fires.

Unfortunately our county FD is NXDN. Sure could use a Uniden NXDN upgrade right now. Hey Paul can you get the gang in Japan to speed up an NXDN mod? We could sure use it right now. We are in the blind as far as our county fire goes. I'm going to try and get DSD+ working with the dongle tomorrow but have not had any success in that regard.

More to follow.

Chief
 
Last edited:

ecps92

Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2002
Messages
14,360
Location
Taxachusetts
164.1500 R/input PL 100.0/114.8/127.3/136.5/186.2 Chattahoochie-Oconee NF Admin

100.0 Johns Mountain Repeater
114.8 Grassy Mountain Repeater
127.3 Fort Mountain Repeater
136.5 ???
186.2 ???

Most of you are probably not aware that county, state and USFS fire officials here in the southeast US are battling major wildfires on USFS, state forest and private lands due to a major drought. I have had several request from RR members and others via private email to post any of the US government freqs associated with the firefighting effort. These wildfires are raging in northern Georgia, eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina.

The list below is based on actual monitoring over the last week from here in the center of it all Brasstown NC. (All freqs in MHz and mode is NFM unless otherwise indicated)

163.1000 Simplex National Interagency Fire Center NIFC All Call
164.1500 R/input PL 100.0/114.8/127.3/136.5/186.2 Chattahoochie-Oconee NF Admin (North) R/input to 168.7750
164.1500 Simplex PL 114.8 Chattahoochie-Oconee NF USFS Air-Ground
164.1500 Simplex Nantahala NF Air-to-Ground 2 (Aircraft to Fire Hotshots)
168.0250/172.4000 PL 127.3 Chattahoochie-Oconee NF Law Enforcement Net
168.1000 Simplex National Interagency Fire Center NIRSC Command 2
168.1250 R/Input Nantahala NF Admin Zone 1 Dispatch R/input to 171.4750
168.6500 Simplex PL 110.9 Pisgah NF Pisgah-Air Flight Following Net (Asheville Dispatch)
168.6500 Simplex PL 110.9 National Interagency Fire Center National Flight Following
168.7750/164.1500 PL 136.5 Chattahoochie-Oconee NF Admin (North)
169.2000 Simplex National Interagency Fire Center NIFC Air Tactics 03
169.9000 Simplex Nantahala NF Fireground/Mobile-Mobile
169.9250/164.1250 PL 103.5 Cherokee NF Admin (Southern Net)
171.4750/168.1250 PL 103.5 Nantahala NF Admin Zone 1 Dispatch
406.2750/415.2750 PL 110.9 Chattahoochie-Oconee NF Air Net UHF Backbone
406.2750/415.2750 PL 123.0 Pisgah NF Admin Net UHF Backbone
406.3875/415.3875 P25 NAC 293 Nantahala NF Admin Net Zone 1 UHF Backbone
406.5750/415.5750 PL 136.5 Chattahoochie-Oconee NF Admin Net UHF Backbone
411.2250 Simplex PL 123.0 Nantahala NF Nantahala Air Net
411.2750/415.2750 Chattahoochie-Oconee NF Air Net UHF Link to Regional Office/Sector Office
411.2750 Simplex PL 123.0 Pisgah NF Air Net UHF Backbone
411.3750 Simplex PL 123.0 Pisgah NF Admin Net UHF Backbone

Civilian aero freqs being used by various state and federal assets include 122.850 122.925 122,975 123.025 123.050 123.075 123.150 (all AM mode)

Local fire departments and state forestry freqs are also active and those are listed in the RadioRef database for the areas under fire conditions.

I will post further updates in this thread as new info pops up.

73 from western smoky North Carolina

Chief
 

p1879

Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2004
Messages
362
Almost all air/ground wildfire operations traffic is conducted on the FM VHF frequencies. The AM VHF airband wildfire frequencies are used primarily for air to air, such as lead plane to tanker, air attack coordination, de-confliction of airspace and other comms between aircraft.

Airtankers are using 134.725 to communicate with the Chattanooga retardant base. The pace of operations will likely increase in the afternoon, as is the case on most wildland fires.

There are some Bae 147 aircraft working as heavy air tankers in the NC area. Some of the Very Large Air Tankers (VLATS) are in Australia right now. I heard a Single Engine Air Tanker (SEAT) out of Morgantown earlier.

This is a exceptionally large series of incidents and volatile conditions for the South-East. Historic event for radio monitors in this region.

p1879
 

Airboss

Silent Key
Joined
Mar 28, 2004
Messages
200
Location
Brasstown, NC
Thanks for the new airtanker support freq. I have added it into the mix. The wind shift has brought back the heavy smoke from the fires to our northeast. Not looking forward to the east wind latter in the day which will bring the much closer Boteler fire smoke to the Brasstown valley. Sure could use some rain.

Good hunting and again appreciate the freq update.

Larry
 

p1879

Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2004
Messages
362
Thank you Larry, always a gentleman. Looks like some higher humidity and even some possible rain is due in those parched woods.

SCNG Blackhawks, including "Catfish 11" and a SCNG Chinook were working the Pinnacle fire near the state line with NC yesterday.

P1879
 

gpwelding1

Newbie
Joined
Nov 13, 2016
Messages
1
Location
long creek,s.c.
rock mountain ga fire

I'm only around 15 miles away from the rock mountain fire that is about 8 miles west of dillard ga .
Does anyone have ground or air frequencies for that fire?
 

pilotman6012

Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2013
Messages
216
Location
Athens Alabama
A couple of the aviation assets are N182Z USFS Beech 200 and TANKER 131 an old converted C-130,N130FF with Coulson Aviation who fitted it with fire retardent system,works with USFS.
 

mike_gain

Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2009
Messages
171
Location
Western NC
Thanks much for this info. I live very close to the fire in the South Mountain State Park in NC. I've been looking for this all weekend. When I saw USN as well as Brasstown, I knew who this was. I sure miss the expo's in Atlanta.
 
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