GREAT FALLS, Mont.—A Fort Benton woman still has questions after reading a federal report that found fire dispatchers urged her pilot husband to fight a Colorado wildfire despite his concerns about high winds.
The National Transportation Safety Board found that Gert Marais, 42, warned officials about high winds several times on April 15, but was still urged by dispatchers to fight a fire at Fort Carson, Colo., where 9,000 acres eventually burned. His plane crashed after he dropped his load of water and foam.
Esme Marais said she wants to know exactly who at the Colorado State Forest Service dispatch facility pushed her husband to fight that fire and why. She also hopes her husband’s death will bring about changes in the center’s dispatch procedures.
“Nothing will change the outcome of this situation, but if they can learn to do things properly, somebody can be saved,” she said.
Officials with the Rocky Mountain Area Fire Coordinator Center, which manages firefighting efforts in Colorado, are reviewing the report and have not issued an official response.
“Obviously, we regret any loss of life,” said Steve Segin, the center’s spokesman. “Any lessons we can take out of this … we’ll get that from (the report).”
Marais said she wants to know more about the plane crash that killed a careful and experienced pilot who was trying to help other people.
“It would be nice to have closure. Even with this report there is no closure,” she said. “There’s four kids that need answers.”
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Information from: Great Falls Tribune,
