More Firefighting Planes Sought for Van Nuys

Hoping to add another weapon to Los Angeles County’s firefighting arsenal, Supervisor Mike Antonovich urged the Air National Guard on Monday to move planes capable of dumping fire-retardant chemicals from Ventura County back to Van Nuys Airport.

The suggestion drew immediate criticism from Valley homeowners groups, airport management and the Air Guard itself.

“It makes sense to keep the planes as close as possible to respond,” said Antonovich, whose district includes Altadena, where more than 100 houses were destroyed in a fire that began last Wednesday.

But an Air Guard spokesman said the move would improve its response to fires in the San Fernando Valley area by no more than 10 minutes, while days-long delays in utilizing Guard planes have been due to procedural problems, not the planes’ locations.

The planes, which were transferred three years ago from Van Nuys to the new $64-million Channel Islands Air National Guard Base at Point Mugu, can travel at 300 m.p.h., he said, and so can reach the Valley area within minutes from Point Mugu, just 35 air miles away.

“From a practical standpoint, it wouldn’t give us much advantage,” said Lt. Col. Bruce Roy, a spokesman for state Air National Guard headquarters. “Our present location is much, much better because there are fewer aircraft in the area.”

Roy pointed out that two fire-fighting-equipped C-130s remained grounded for 24 hours during the recent firestorms because of red tape, confusion and a shortage of personnel. Air National Guard officers have complained in the past that under current laws, the Guard planes cannot be used to help fight such fires until all available civilian aircraft have been hired, a difficult condition to establish.

Antonovich’s proposal also ignited a firestorm of protest from San Fernando Valley residents concerned about noise and safety. They applauded when the 146th Tactical Airlift Wing’s 40-year lease at Van Nuys Airport expired and the unit was transferred to Point Mugu in 1990.

Since then, the future of the wing’s 74-acre former base at Van Nuys Airport has been the subject of intense speculation and planning by airport-based businesses and other commercial interests, homeowner groups and city officials.

“It is absolutely unacceptable and irrational to have heavy military aircraft at Van Nuys,” said Gerald A. Silver, president of Homeowners of Encino, a long-time leader of efforts to remove the unit from Van Nuys Airport. “All it is, is political grandstanding and he (Antonovich) knows it.”

Van Nuys Airport officials also denounced the proposal.

“This is mindless and senseless,” said Ron Kochevar, the airport’s general manager. “This proposal isn’t going to get far.”

But Altadena residents said the idea is worth considering. The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote today on whether to ask Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) to press the Pentagon to support such a move.

“We would like to see a maximum amount of effort against fires as soon as possible,” said Greg Norden chairman of the Altadena Town Council.

“Mr. Antonovich might have a bit of an uphill battle making this happen, but we appreciate the effort.”