JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Residents in Clay and Putnam Counties have been hearing a lot of commotion in the skies over the past few days, as aircrews with the Florida Forestry Service and the National Guard work to contain the massive Railroad Wildfire.
Many, like Jesse McRae, who lives on Eagle Creek Road in Putnam County, have been watching the aerial firefighting operations with awe.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
McRae said he feels the aircrews have been a big help.
“I think they are given the fact that it’s so widespread and there’s pockets of fire everywhere,” said McRae.
From his waterfront home, he’s caught several glimpses of the firefighting aircraft filling their tanks with water in the St. Johns River.
“It’s exciting to see,” said McRae.
Many of those planes are being flown by the Florida Forestry Service, but you might also spot some piloted by members of the National Guard.
“And these are soldiers who yesterday may have been sitting beside you in your community,” said State Army Aviation Officer for the Florida National Guard Colonel Brett Rhodenizer.
Colonel Rhodenizer has been working behind the scenes to help supplement the aerial firefighting response alongside partners in the Forestry Service and local fire crews.
“You’ll see these other helicopters or fire bombers with different capacities, but when you think about these National Guard aircraft, it’s magnitudes more water,” said Rhodenizer.
Rhodenizer said at least six aircrews had been activated as of Tuesday afternoon, with more on the way.
And those crews aren’t just fighting flames in Clay and Putnam Counties.
With nearly 90 active wildfires burning throughout the state, the National Guard is acting as a force multiplier, fighting fires as far south as the Everglades.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the Railroad Wildfire was at 50 percent containment, up from just five percent the day prior.
That speedy progress comes, in large part, thanks to the help of aerial firefighting efforts from both the Forestry Service and the National Guard.
“You’re seeing the effectiveness today. You’re seeing the containment, you know, the containment go up, the smoke go down,” said Rhodenizer. “Those are the outcomes that we’re looking for.”
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]