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.

Wednesday, September 29, 2021

2021 wildfire season: Coulson helicopters working a wildfire a night

Coulson Aviation has helicopters equipped for flying at night with the pilots wearing special night vision googles, see my May 21st article to watch a short video on Coulson's night operations. Coulson has four helicopters funded by Southern California Edison equipped for night flying that are currently on exclusive-use contracts in Southern California:

One CH47 (3,000 gallons) on contract with Orange County
One CH47 (3,000 gallons) and one Sikorsky S-76 "Firewatch helicopter used for command on contract with Los Angeles County
One Sikorsky S-61N helicopters (1,000 gallon) on contract with Ventura County.

These four helicopters are called the Quick Reaction Fleet (QRF). To read more about the QRF, go to this June 2021 article from Vertical Magazine. Australia also contracts with helicopters equipped for night flying on contract, see this 2019 Vertical Magazine article.

I want to share a longer video (just under 12 minutes) from Coulson on their night operations earlier this year at a wildfire in Malibu. You will see the QRF working the fire in support of the wildland firefighters on the ground.