AUSTIN, Texas – With wildfires still burning in California, Texas lawmakers are considering a plan to create a Lone Star Air Force to battle outbreaks here.

Operators of an aerial firefighting company came to the Capitol to help lawmakers get the idea off the ground.

The backstory:

More than 80 aircraft have been used to battle the wildfires in California. The fleet includes assets from Bridger Aerospace. Planes known as Super Scoopers were flown to LA from the company’s airbase in Montana.

“I think large fires are becoming more of an issue and year-round readiness is paramount,” said Sam Davis. 

Davis is the CEO of Bridger Aerospace. He was in Austin on Thursday not just to talk about the California fires. His company is trying to help Texas build its own “fire response” Air Force.

“What we want folks to know is that having these assets on contract or owned or operated by the state of Texas at their disposal is the first and foremost strategy of getting ahead of these fires, pre-positioning, responding quickly and doing what we call initial attack when these fires even high threat is in place. Having them at the ready is very key,” said Davis.

What happened during the Panhandle Wildfire hearings?

The backstory:

State lawmakers evaluated what went wrong during the February wildfires in the Texas Panhandle. The fire was the largest in state history.

The historic wildfires burned across more than 1.2 million acres, killing two people and thousands of livestock. Not to mention, the fire destroyed hundreds of properties and farmers’ livelihoods. 

“The big fire started when a power pole blew over, that started the Smokehouse Creek Fire. The other three fires were started in that old oil field that’s over 100 years old,” a speaker said.

The Panhandle Wildfire hearings last year is where the idea for a Texas Air Force was pitched. The recommendation came after landowners complained about the slow response, and how locally owned aircraft, at times, were grounded. 

What they’re saying:

The Thursday briefing at the Texas Capitol by Bridger Aerospace was for legislative staffers.

“So, the conversation is how do we get aircraft pre-positioned in the state of Texas? How do we get them responding on a very initial attack when this fire happens so we can work on keeping it small,” said Mel Holtz with Bridger.

The briefing is a chance to get out information ahead of any new hearings that may take place during the legislative session.

“I think it’s really important for the appropriators and for the emergency management people, including the governor’s office, to be engaged in these seminars, to see what their options,” said State Rep. Carl Tepper.

Tepper, a Lubbock Republican, indicated he is leaning toward some type of public private partnership.

“You don’t just jump in the aircraft and fight fires. The aircraft have very extensive maintenance schedules. The crews have very specialized training. There’s even X-rays. The aircraft are X-rayed regularly for cracks and structural integrity. So, there’s a lot that goes into this firefighting. And owning any aircraft, any aircraft owner will tell you there’s a lot of extensive maintenance. And so, the state needs to be careful and cautious about what type of contracts we enter into, what type of aircraft we buy, if we do indeed buy any,” said Rep. Tepper.

A spokesperson for State Senator Kevin Sparks (R) Midland sent FOX 7 a statement about the briefing.

“We have a responsibility to vet and utilize the latest tools and technology to better mitigate all types of natural disasters. The heroic efforts during the 2024 Texas Panhandle wildfires showed the need for greater investment in disaster response including ground and aerial support to protect our communities. By investing in these resources, the state can lead in wildfire preparedness and relief,” said Katie Fields, the Policy Analyst for Sen. Sparks.

An option also under consideration involves the state providing dedicated airfields and refueling pads for contracted aircraft. That kind of footprint is similar to a temporary site built at ABIA several years ago after a fire outbreak across central Texas.

“Selfishly, we want to see this done right, you know, at the state level. And I think this is the right way to see this done right. And take some of the no offense, but a little bit of the federal dysfunction out of the play,” said Davis.

What’s next:

There was no discussion on Thursday about how much this idea would cost Texas taxpayers. 

The recommendation from the Panhandle hearing suggested allocating $50 million for six aircraft. But that amount, like the plan itself, is far from being set.