Narrative:

News helicopter flying from downtown seattle to the scene of a forest fire. En route I contacted sea radio on 122.5 to find out if any NOTAMS had been issued for a temperature flight restriction (tfr), far 91.91 to restrict airspace near the forest fire. I was informed that none had been issued. When I arrived near the fire I saw a helicopter making water drops on the fire, but was unable to contact him on the normal fire control frequency of 122.9. I radioed by dispatcher and through telephone contact I received the frequency to contact the helicopter. Again 122.9. The pilot responded and informed me that a tfr had been placed in effect. I left the area and recontacted the sea FSS (radio). At this point sea radio was able to find the NOTAM with the restriction. The problem is that the information on tfr's are not readily available to the aviation community and pose a potential safety hazard to all involved. The agency that requests believes it has been imposed and they lower their surveillance. As an accredited news agency we are allowed, by filing a flight plan, to enter the restr area--but it is very difficult to file to a specific restr area if the FSS does not have a timely method of getting the information to their people.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF NEWS HELICOPTER INADVERTENTLY ENTERED TEMPORARY RESTRICTED AREA. FSS FINALLY FOUND NOTAM AND ADVISED PLT WHO LEFT THE RESTRICTED AREA.

Narrative: NEWS HELI FLYING FROM DOWNTOWN SEATTLE TO THE SCENE OF A FOREST FIRE. ENRTE I CONTACTED SEA RADIO ON 122.5 TO FIND OUT IF ANY NOTAMS HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR A TEMP FLT RESTRICTION (TFR), FAR 91.91 TO RESTRICT AIRSPACE NEAR THE FOREST FIRE. I WAS INFORMED THAT NONE HAD BEEN ISSUED. WHEN I ARRIVED NEAR THE FIRE I SAW A HELI MAKING WATER DROPS ON THE FIRE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT HIM ON THE NORMAL FIRE CTL FREQ OF 122.9. I RADIOED BY DISPATCHER AND THROUGH TELEPHONE CONTACT I RECEIVED THE FREQ TO CONTACT THE HELI. AGAIN 122.9. THE PLT RESPONDED AND INFORMED ME THAT A TFR HAD BEEN PLACED IN EFFECT. I LEFT THE AREA AND RECONTACTED THE SEA FSS (RADIO). AT THIS POINT SEA RADIO WAS ABLE TO FIND THE NOTAM WITH THE RESTRICTION. THE PROB IS THAT THE INFO ON TFR'S ARE NOT READILY AVAILABLE TO THE AVIATION COMMUNITY AND POSE A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD TO ALL INVOLVED. THE AGENCY THAT REQUESTS BELIEVES IT HAS BEEN IMPOSED AND THEY LOWER THEIR SURVEILLANCE. AS AN ACCREDITED NEWS AGENCY WE ARE ALLOWED, BY FILING A FLT PLAN, TO ENTER THE RESTR AREA--BUT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO FILE TO A SPECIFIC RESTR AREA IF THE FSS DOES NOT HAVE A TIMELY METHOD OF GETTING THE INFO TO THEIR PEOPLE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.