Hurricane Irma: MacDill Evacuating Some Planes

TAMPA, FL — As Hurricane Irma approaches Florida, MacDill Air Force Base’s 6th Air Mobility Wing isn’t taking any chances. The wing on Thursday announced plans to move aircraft to Kansas to ride out the storm.

“The safety of our airmen and aircraft are paramount,” Col. April Vogel, wing commander, said in announcing the decision.

The KC-135s will start flying to McConnell Air Force Base in Kansas on Thursday. It is unclear how long it will take to move the aircraft. While the planes are being moved, MacDill officials said there were no plans to evacuate the base itself as of Thursday morning.

“We will continue to monitor the situation closely and will provide updates as they become available,” a statement from the base said. (For more hurricane news or local news from Florida, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Tampa Patch, and click here to find your local Florida Patch. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

By 11 a.m. Thursday, Hurricane Irma was packing 175 mph winds while moving on a path that is expected to impact Florida over the weekend.

Watch: Deaths, Destruction Reported As Hurricane Irma Heads Toward Florida

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Hurricane-force winds extended out from Irma by 60 miles. Tropical-storm force winds extended out 185 miles. Forecasters say, “some fluctuations in intensity are likely during the next day or two, but Irma is forecast to remain a powerful Category 4 or 5 hurricane during the next couple of days.”

A KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft sits on the flight line at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa. U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Ashley Perdue courtesy of MacDill AFB.