NASA Ames Fire Crews To Hold Aircraft Firefighting Drills

The fire department at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley will conduct aircraft firefighting training exercises at Moffett Federal Airfield beginning Tuesday, Sept. 8, and continuing through Friday, Sept. 11. The drills, scheduled to run each day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Pacific time, are designed to sharpen first responders’ readiness for a range of aircraft fire emergencies.

According to the agency, the exercises will rely on a propane-fueled aircraft fire simulator, a common tool used by airport and military fire departments to recreate the conditions of an aircraft fire without the hazards associated with burning aviation fuel or aircraft materials. Because propane burns more cleanly than traditional fuel sources, NASA officials said the training is expected to generate very little smoke. Even so, the agency cautioned that flames from the controlled fires may be visible to motorists traveling along U.S. Highway 101, which runs near the airfield.

NASA Ames officials framed the multi-day drill as a routine but essential part of maintaining emergency preparedness at the research center, which sits adjacent to an active airfield used for both government and research flight operations. The training is intended to simulate realistic firefighting scenarios so that Ames personnel can practice coordinated responses, equipment handling, and containment procedures under conditions that mimic an actual aircraft fire.

Aircraft rescue and firefighting units at research and aviation facilities typically undergo recurring certification training to meet federal safety standards, given the specialized hazards posed by jet fuel, hydraulic systems, and composite aircraft materials. Propane-based simulators have become a standard training tool across the industry because they allow fire crews to repeatedly practice extinguishing techniques in a controlled, lower-risk environment while still replicating the intense heat and visual conditions of a real aircraft fire.

Facilities like Moffett Federal Airfield, which support both NASA research operations and shared military and civilian air traffic, place a premium on this kind of readiness because of the mix of aircraft types and mission profiles operating in the area. Regular firefighting exercises help ensure that response teams remain familiar with evolving aircraft designs and firefighting technologies, particularly as research centers increasingly test experimental aircraft and drones that may present unique emergency response challenges.

NASA Ames Research Center, located in the heart of Silicon Valley, has long served as a hub for aeronautics research, supercomputing, and space exploration technology development. The center’s proximity to Moffett Federal Airfield allows it to support a variety of flight test operations, making a well-trained on-site fire department a key part of the facility’s overall safety infrastructure.

NASA said the training exercises are part of standard operational procedures and are not connected to any specific incident or safety concern at the center. The agency noted that similar readiness exercises are conducted periodically to keep firefighting personnel current on techniques and equipment.

Local residents and drivers passing near the airfield during the designated training window were advised that the visible flames are part of a controlled and monitored exercise. NASA Ames encouraged anyone with questions about the training to reach out to the center’s public affairs office for additional information.

This report is based on a press release published by NASA Ames Research Center.