Narrative:

(Hailey/sun valley airport) while taxiing out to the active runway given by ground control, I was informed that the airport was closed -- due to brush fires to the west and southwest -- 1 1/2 to 2 mi distant. The sky above the airport and to the east was clear. There was some higher smoke to the west and 3-4 mi to the southwest, south there was thin smoke at over 1000 ft above the ground. While taxiing out a single engine aircraft departed and there were 2 twins waiting to depart. They were both talking with the tower. The primary points made by the tower were that the airport was closed and they could not give departure approval. They said that any aircraft departing now would do so 'at their own risk,' and if there was any conflict with aircraft fighting the fires, they would be reported. After further discussions with the tower, both twin aircraft departed and I immediately followed. I kept to the east side of the valley to avoid any possible proximity to any helicopter hauling water from the big wood river on the west side. There were 2 borate tankers holding about 15-20 mi west -- waiting drop directions. A few mins after departure, the tower was contacted by an arriving aircraft. For the first time, the tower said that the airport manager was recording 'north' numbers and would be sending them to boise. After a few more mins, apparently, the airport was re-opened for departure to the north and arrs to the south. After departure, I remained in VFR conditions at all times and was above the light smoke at 2000 ft AGL. It seems most likely that I should not have departed from a closed airport. I was departing for a 5 hour non-stop flight to tucson, ar. The forecast was for possible intense thunderstorms in mid to late afternoon -- shortly after my intended arrival time. This made me unduly anxious to depart. In retrospect, I made a foolish decision to hastily depart under the current conditions. I could have cancelled and made the flight 2 weeks later -- although apparently I might have been able to legally depart 30 mins later. I'm afraid that I let the other 3 departing aircraft influence my decision to depart. The tower is operated by a private contractor. If they might have specifically stated that departure at the time would be an FAA violation, I believe that none of the 4 aircraft would have departed. If this situation should ever occur to me again, I will remain on the ground until I am directed by the tower to depart. (I incidentally have received no word from the FAA as of this date).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT DEPARTS ARPT CLOSED DUE TO NEARBY FIRE FIGHTING ACTIVITY.

Narrative: (HAILEY/SUN VALLEY ARPT) WHILE TAXIING OUT TO THE ACTIVE RWY GIVEN BY GND CTL, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE ARPT WAS CLOSED -- DUE TO BRUSH FIRES TO THE W AND SW -- 1 1/2 TO 2 MI DISTANT. THE SKY ABOVE THE ARPT AND TO THE E WAS CLR. THERE WAS SOME HIGHER SMOKE TO THE W AND 3-4 MI TO THE SW, S THERE WAS THIN SMOKE AT OVER 1000 FT ABOVE THE GND. WHILE TAXIING OUT A SINGLE ENG ACFT DEPARTED AND THERE WERE 2 TWINS WAITING TO DEPART. THEY WERE BOTH TALKING WITH THE TWR. THE PRIMARY POINTS MADE BY THE TWR WERE THAT THE ARPT WAS CLOSED AND THEY COULD NOT GIVE DEP APPROVAL. THEY SAID THAT ANY ACFT DEPARTING NOW WOULD DO SO 'AT THEIR OWN RISK,' AND IF THERE WAS ANY CONFLICT WITH ACFT FIGHTING THE FIRES, THEY WOULD BE RPTED. AFTER FURTHER DISCUSSIONS WITH THE TWR, BOTH TWIN ACFT DEPARTED AND I IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED. I KEPT TO THE E SIDE OF THE VALLEY TO AVOID ANY POSSIBLE PROX TO ANY HELI HAULING WATER FROM THE BIG WOOD RIVER ON THE W SIDE. THERE WERE 2 BORATE TANKERS HOLDING ABOUT 15-20 MI W -- WAITING DROP DIRECTIONS. A FEW MINS AFTER DEP, THE TWR WAS CONTACTED BY AN ARRIVING ACFT. FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE TWR SAID THAT THE ARPT MGR WAS RECORDING 'N' NUMBERS AND WOULD BE SENDING THEM TO BOISE. AFTER A FEW MORE MINS, APPARENTLY, THE ARPT WAS RE-OPENED FOR DEP TO THE N AND ARRS TO THE S. AFTER DEP, I REMAINED IN VFR CONDITIONS AT ALL TIMES AND WAS ABOVE THE LIGHT SMOKE AT 2000 FT AGL. IT SEEMS MOST LIKELY THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPARTED FROM A CLOSED ARPT. I WAS DEPARTING FOR A 5 HR NON-STOP FLT TO TUCSON, AR. THE FORECAST WAS FOR POSSIBLE INTENSE TSTMS IN MID TO LATE AFTERNOON -- SHORTLY AFTER MY INTENDED ARR TIME. THIS MADE ME UNDULY ANXIOUS TO DEPART. IN RETROSPECT, I MADE A FOOLISH DECISION TO HASTILY DEPART UNDER THE CURRENT CONDITIONS. I COULD HAVE CANCELLED AND MADE THE FLT 2 WKS LATER -- ALTHOUGH APPARENTLY I MIGHT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LEGALLY DEPART 30 MINS LATER. I'M AFRAID THAT I LET THE OTHER 3 DEPARTING ACFT INFLUENCE MY DECISION TO DEPART. THE TWR IS OPERATED BY A PRIVATE CONTRACTOR. IF THEY MIGHT HAVE SPECIFICALLY STATED THAT DEP AT THE TIME WOULD BE AN FAA VIOLATION, I BELIEVE THAT NONE OF THE 4 ACFT WOULD HAVE DEPARTED. IF THIS SITUATION SHOULD EVER OCCUR TO ME AGAIN, I WILL REMAIN ON THE GND UNTIL I AM DIRECTED BY THE TWR TO DEPART. (I INCIDENTALLY HAVE RECEIVED NO WORD FROM THE FAA AS OF THIS DATE).

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.