Random Ramblings: Aerial Wildland Firefighting

I have blogged about aerial wildland firefighting since 2009. I am not a firefighter and am not a pilot, just an interested bystander who wants to learn more and share what I learn here. Join me here as I blog on the aircraft and the pilots who fight wildland fires from the air in support of crews on the ground. I also blog on concerns affecting fire crews on the ground as well as other aviation and meteorology issues. Learn what it takes to do jobs that are staffed by the best of the best.

Friday, May 07, 2021

69 Bravo helitanker refill station (Topanga, CA)

I knew from videos that there was a helipad somewhere in LA County where helitankers could go to refill their belly tanks while working wildland fires. Thanks to my friends at Coulson Aviation, I learned of a video (embedded below) about 69 Bravo and the underlying technology. There are four pumpkins, each have a capacity of approximately 6,000 gallons, where the helitankers refill their belly tanks. What fascinated me is that the pumpkins refill automatically. 69 Bravo, opened in 2010. is possible because of the generosity of Simon T. There is a nice November 2019 LA Times article (paywall) on 69 Bravo which you may read for more information, here is an excerpt from that LA Times article explaining the importance of Bravo 69:

The base has been vital over the years for dousing fires in Calabasas, Monte Nido, Pacific Palisades, eastern Malibu and Topanga — areas frequently on high alert, given the narrow evacuation routes. The rugged canyons within a five-mile radius of the site are home to more than 11,000 structures, most of them residential, and more than 30,000 residents, according to a Times analysis of building footprints and population data.
The base is also used by medical helicopters and deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for other emergencies. A patrol vehicle remains there just in case.
And the site is a resource for fighting fires farther away, as drought and sanitation efforts, such as the covering of Santa Ynez Reservoir in Palisades Highlands, have made other water sources less accessible.

Here are two images from Google Earth. The first image shows the location of 69 Bravo and the second image is a close-up.

Added on May 9, 2021: I seemed to have missed the fact that the four pumpkins were upgraded from 6,000 gallons each to 8,000 gallons each.Thanks to Bill Gabbert of Fire Aviation for his fine reporting, in particular the article he wrote on May 8th about the upgrades at 69 Bravo.

Enjoy this five minute video from 69 Bravo where you will learn a little about the importance of the location of 69 Bravo, some of the technology, and some background information.