For the second year in a row, CAL FIRE is boosting its seasonal fleet across California — with more than $72 million provided by Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration. The funding secures an additional 24 firefighting aircraft (19 helicopters and 5 planes) for a contracted period of 90-120 days. The Fullerton Observer reported that these aircraft are located in communities across the state and will be pre-positioned as needed.
“The deployment of more aircraft dedicated to the people of California marks a historic milestone, with the highest number of firefighting aircraft ever available for initial attack in the state for the second consecutive year,” said Director and Fire Chief Joe Tyler. He said rainfall this year has resulted in increased fuels; last week alone, CAL FIRE responded to over 300 wildfires.
NEW HELICOPTERS: Nevada-Yuba-Placer Unit Chief Brian Estes said that CAL FIRE’s new Fire Hawk is faster, with greater capacity, than the state’s aging 12 Super Huey helicopters, and the Hawks can also conduct night flight operations. According to a report by YubaNet.com in FY2022-2023 additional funding was approved to purchase four more S70i Fire Hawks to increase surge capacity and to maintain operational capabilities during mandatory maintenance cycles. The Fire Hawk can deliver up to 1000 gallons — or a 9-person helitack crew.
California’s aircraft are initially prepositioned in the following counties: Butte, Tuolumne, San Diego, Tulare, Humboldt, Mariposa, Nevada, Siskiyou, Sacramento, Fresno, Shasta, San Luis Obispo, Napa, Placer, Lassen, Riverside, and Sonoma.
The fixed-wing aircraft in the California fleet include three large airtankers that can carry up to 4,000 gallons. FireAviation reported last year that the U.S. Air Force was directed by Congress in December 2013 to perform maintenance on seven C-130H aircraft and convert them to airtankers. At that time the USAF was given $130 million for the project. Five years later in 2018 Congress appropriated an additional $20 million, bringing the total cost to $150 million. No recent estimates of totals were readily available.
The statewide fleet has grown to more than 60 fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, according to the Chico Enterprise-Record, making CAL FIRE’s the largest civil aerial firefighting fleet in the world, including Grumman S-2T airtankers, Bell UH-1H Super Huey helicopters, Sikorsky S70i helicopters, and North American OV-10A (plus one D Model) Bronco Air Tactical aircraft. The aircraft are located at 14 airtanker bases, 10 helitack bases, and one CAL FIRE/San Diego County Sheriff helitack base.
On this holiday weekend, CAL FIRE reminds the public that the law strictly prohibits the use of drones in areas with fire activity. Drone operation can shut down aerial firefighting, endangers pilots and crew and firefighters, and poses major risks to lives, property and natural resources.
~ THANKS and a tip of the hat to Johnny.
