The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Boise District has initiated the construction of the Mountain Home Single Engine Air Tanker (SEAT) Base at the Mountain Home Municipal Airport as reported by the Bureau of Land Management.
The construction, which started on July 21, 2024, aims to enhance aircraft availability for quicker wildland fire response in southwestern Idaho and surrounding areas.
The Mountain Home SEAT Base will feature critical components such as a fire-retardant loading pad, a containment area, an evaporation pond, two taxilanes, an operations building, and a storage facility.
The project is funded through a lease agreement with the City of Mountain Home Airport.
The new SEAT Base is strategically located to improve the local and regional wildland fire aviation support capacity.
BLM Boise District Fire Management Officer Chris Cromwell stated: “Mountain Home’s central location is strategically advantageous, enabling us to efficiently support both local and regional communities.”
This area is among the highest in the country for new fire incidents, making the facility crucial for firefighting efforts.
The improvements align with BLM’s mission to be a good steward of public lands and to provide professional wildfire response to nearby geographic areas.
Cromwell added: “We’re extremely excited to see the new improvements to the SEAT Base get underway and look forward to the opportunities this will afford us in the coming years.”
The construction of the Mountain Home SEAT Base is expected to be completed by May 2025, in preparation for the 2025 fire season.
The BLM encourages the public to follow Idaho Fire Info at https://www.idahofireinfo.com/ for updates on wildland fire information in the area.
